A/N: So...I'm posting this chapter a little bit earlier. I just got so excited about what happens in this chapter so I wrote very very quickly...

This chapter is from three or maybe four different point of views and I'm very excited about your comments on how I wrote those sections.

I think in this chapter Mary Poppins gets to be a little bit more like her Musical-self so you could say a little OOC-ish but I don't know.

For me, Mary Poppins just acts a little bit differently around the character that will join the story in this chapter.

I would love to read your comments, I'm always so excited to read your thoughts and opinions.

Anyways...here's the seventh chapter;)

ChibiDawn23: Yes, Jack did really get all of the bad stuff...Thank you very much! I'm flattered;)

Serpico1986: First; what is it about this 1986?...nooow...Thank you for the comment! And...that's actually a very good idea...:)

Phantom Actress: I'm, too. Thanks for the comment:)

DISCLAIMER: I still do not own Mary Poppins or Mary Poppins Returns...

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Chapter SEVEN

The smallest house

"Goodbye, Michael.", Jack took Jane's brother's hand and shook it.

Michael nodded, "Goodbye."

He took Georgie's arm before the boy could slip through the door and waved.

Then the door was shut close.

"They must be so relieved, now that aunt Barbra has gone.", Jane said with a small laugh and linked her arm with Jack's, "She do is horrible."

Jack stroked the young woman's arm gently, "She's your mother's sister, right?"

Jane nodded.

"That she is.", she grinned, "But they are so very different, Mother and aunt Barbra. Though Mother was almost seven years older than Barbra, Barbra always acted as if she was the elder one. And she always discoursed into everything."

Jack grimaced, "Well, I don't doubt that. My head ist still hurting -and not just from falling."

Jane playfully patted his arm, "Oh, Jack. As soon as we're home, I'm going to make some hot chocolate and ice cream and you'll get well in no time."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Nutcase."

But Jane only laughed and drew nearer to him.

"I'm so happy that Michael and the children want to come to the next rally.", she sighed happily and smiled into Jack's arm crook.

They shuddered to a halt and looked at the house in the Cherry Tree Lane again, then they smiled.

"Come along.", Jack said, "Let's go home."

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"Don't forget that Georgie and I are going to wait for you at the school gate.", Mary Poppins said while she handed the school bag to Annabel.

"Of course not, Mary Poppins.", the girl said and opened the door with a look on her twin brother, "John, hurry up, I don't want to be late."

Quickly, John laced up his shoes and hurried after his sister onto the street, "Goodbye, see you later."

And he waved to them once again.

For a moment, Mary Poppins and Georgie watched how the two children disappeared, then Mary Poppins took a deep breath and said firmly, "Georgie, in you go. You haven't had breakfast yet and we have to leave soon."

Georgie closed the door, "Yes, Mary Poppins."

Mary Poppins smiled as she followed him into the kitchen, "There's a good boy."

In the kitchen Ellen stood in front of the cooker and prepared the tea; first the milk, then the tea and at last one spoonful of sugar, just like Mary Poppins loved her tea.

"Thank you, Ellen.", Mary Poppins said when she took the tea cup from Ellen's hands.

"Oh, Mary Poppins.", the housekeeper sighed, "If we didn't have you, I wouldn't know what to do. I do have these back problems and the shoppings don't do..."

Mary Poppins rolled her eyes, "Ellen, you don't have to ask, Georgie and I are very capable of doing the shoppings honour way back from school, isn't that right, Georgie?"

The boy nodded with his mouth full.

Ellen smiled, "You are such a good help."

Mary Poppins frowned, "I can't remember a time when I wasn't a good help, Ellen. So, explain yourself, if you please."

But Ellen turned around and disappeared through the kitchen door into her own room, humming a joyful melody.

Georgie grinned at Mary Poppins, who drank her tea and put the cup on the saucer and looked at her reflection on the spoon for a moment.

Then she sniffed, "Come on, Georgie. It's time."

With a jerk, she broke away from the sight of herself and looked at Georgie, "Go and wash your hands."

And whilst Georgie disappeared into the bathroom and did what Mary Poppins had told him to do, Mary Poppins did the washing-up and stood, at the same moment as Georgie, in the hallway to hand him his coat.

"Off we go, now.", Mary Poppins said and opened the front door, "Hippity-hopp."

And with the tiniest jump she got over the threshold and stood out on the garden path.

Georgie pulled the door to a close and then joined Mary Poppins walking down the path.

"Mary Poppins?"

"Yes, Georgie?"

The boy pouted a little bit, "Why can't I walk alone like Annabel and John?"

The nanny looked at Georgie for a second, then she rolled her eyes.

"Annabel and John always walk together, Georgie, and they are older than you. You would have to walk all by yourself and you're too young for that.", she explained whilst she waited for him patiently to keep up with her pace.

With her umbrella stuck under her arm and Georgie's school bag in her hand, she hurried down the garden path, opened the small gate and stood on the street with two steps, "Georgie, don't dawdle."

Georgie pushed both hands into his trousers pockets and tried to ignore Mary Poppins the best he could.

"I think that's unfair.", he murmured.

Mary Poppins sniffed in amusement, "I've never been in Buckingham Palace, Georgie, I think that's unfair."

Georgie looked at the nanny in confusion, "You haven't? But I thought you once had tea with the queen."

Mary Poppins arched an eyebrow, "Me? Tea with the queen of England?! The very thought."

And with that she handed Georgie his school bag and stepped along.

"But you said you once had tea with the queen, I know you did.", Georgie mumbled quietly so that Mary Poppins couldn't possibly hear him.

Mary Poppins walked quickly down the sidewalk and they crossed the street and reached the corner at which Georgie's best friend James waited for them, just like he did every day.

"Good morning, James.", Mary Poppins greeted the boy who stood on the kerb with a lowered head, one foot on the street.

He didn't say anything.

Mary Poppins lightly cleared her throat.

Then he looked up, "Good morning."

His face was tear-stained and his eyes were red and swollen.

"Oh!", Georgie said alarmed, "What happened?"

James lowered his head again.

"Nothing out off the ordinary.", he murmured and whipped his nose at the sleeve of his coat, "They just...fought so terribly again and then...you see; Father never was one to keep control over his feelings, and then- then he hit Mother."

Georgie's eyes widened, "He did?!"

James nodded, "Not hard and he immediately apologised. It's nothing I wouldn't know."

Mary Poppins slightly lowered her gaze.

It was something she couldn't stand about the way she worked; to have to watch how other families broke apart just because they didn't ask for her help.

She took a deep breath, "James, save your tears for a funeral, if you please. They always prove useful there!"

And with that she stepped along and listened if the children would follow her.

Of course, they did, Mary Poppins had told them so, after all.

The latter smiled knowingly whilst she led the two boys through the city and to the school.

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"Where do we go? Where do we go? Where do we go?", Georgie sang and hopped up and down next to Mary Poppins.

The nanny gave him a warning look, "Georgie, please. You'll know it soon enough."

It rang for school ending.

The sound was loud and piercing, like a bell one striked with all one's strength.

And suddenly amounts of students swept from the building, nattering like little ducks, and Georgie stretched to look for his siblings between all the students.

"They are too late.", he complained when Annabel and John weren't under the students that walked past them.

Mary Poppins sighed, "Georgie."

She took the boy's arm, so he couldn't run into the school building, and smiled when she saw the twins stepping out of the door.

"There they are.", she said, "The time's not running from us, Georgie Banks, we've got the whole afternoon."

Georgie crossed his arms and tried a grumpy face. But as soon as his siblings stood next to him, he grinned widely and hopped up and down, not as hard as before so to not annoy Mary Poppins.

Mary Poppins rolled her eyes, then she nodded and said, "Come along, children. Don't dawdle."

She walked forward with a small spring in her step, Annabel, John and Georgie hot on her heels.

John grinned at Annabel and whispered, "I read the note."

Annabel knit her brows, "Which -Oh. Oh."

She glanced at Mary Poppins and quickly leant to her brother, "Please don't tell her."

John rolled his eyes, "She's going to find out about it, anyways, Annabel. She's Mary Poppins."

And he said it as if it was taken for granted that Mary Poppins knew everything.

"Mary Poppins?"

"Yes, Georgie?", the nanny's voice was something between annoyed and amused.

"Where are we going?"

Mary Poppins gave the boy a furious look over her shoulder. Then she turned to the right and -by all sudden- was gone.

"Why!", Annabel said, "I've never seen this alley before."

Mary Poppins looked at the girl with a smile and waited until John and Georgie, too, stepped into the hidden alley between the two grand houses.

"Clearly, you don't see the very lot.", she then said with a small snort and walked towards the small house at the end of the alley.

It was by far the smallest house in the street, a small house made off brick with dark windows and a clumpy front door.

"Are we going there?", asked Georgie excitedly.

As an answer Mary Poppins knocked at the door with the handle of her umbrella.

In the inside of the house it clattered slightly and heavy steps sounded.

"I'm coming, I'm coming.", the deep, joyful voice sounded.

Then the door opened and they faced a tall, thin man.

He was so tall that he almost towered above Mary Poppins by one head but still he didn't hit his head on the door frame.

"Mary Poppins!", he uttered joyfully and when he laughed small laughter-lines built in the corners of his eyes.

A small beard graced his chin and he eyed Mary Poppins up with a green and a blue eye.

The children had never seen such a thing before!

He was a man in his late fifties, maybe early sixties, with grey hair but a childlike smile.

"Bert.", Mary Poppins smiled in a way they'd never seen her smile, "It's wonderful to see you again."

For a moment, Mary Poppins and Bert looked at each other as if they'd speak a language no one else understood, then Bert stepped to the side and said, "Come on in."

And one after one they entered the small hallway and Mary Poppins walked straight into the living room as if she knew her way around very well.

"And you must be Michael Banks' children.", Bert said and smiled at Annabel, John and Georgie friendly.

Georgie tilted his head to one side You know our father?"

Bert nodded and lead the youngest Banks-son with a large, heavy hand on his back, into the dining room, "Of course. I was a good friend of his, one on whom he could always count on and who brought him luck, one who said in the dark until he could help."

And he blinked at Mary Poppins.

And Mary Poppins blinked back.

Annabel couldn't believe what she saw.

"Tea?", Mary Poppins asked as if it was her house and Bert and the children were her guests.

"I would be pleased, Mary.", Bert said and sank onto the couch.

'Mary'. No one had ever dared to call Mary Poppins by her first name only!

"Where do you know Mary Poppins from?" John asked curiously and thankfully took the cookie from the plate, Bert handed him.

Bert grinned, "I've known her for a long time. Since I was a little boy, that was when we met and we've never...Well, you could say we've never lost track of each other."

Annabel tilted her head to one side, "Sounds as if you were...a couple."

And she said it as if it was impossible that Mary Poppins had a man in her life.

Bert shook his head and said with a slight chuckle, "Good heavens, no. I wouldn't last a second as her husband, and she wouldn't as my wife."

Then he threw Mary Poppins, who entered the living room with a frown and a tray with tea pot and cups, a amused look, "I'm married anyways."

Mary Poppins smiled slightly and sat down next to Bert on the couch, "How is dear Elizabeth?"

Georgie sat up straighter, "Is Elizabeth your wife?"

Bert nodded.

A childlike smile crept onto his lips whe he said, "She's fine. She's at the 'Olliven Tea Party' with a friend right now, she's always home late after those."

Mary Poppins nodded, poured tea into the cups and handed them to everyone, "And what about Edith and Florence? I haven't seen them in a long time."

Bert took a sip of his tea, then he looked at Mary Poppins for a moment and put down his tea cup onto the saucer.

"I would've thought you'd knew.", he said quietly, "I'd been wondering why you didn't come to the wedding."

Mary Poppins' face brightened up, "Edith's married, but Bert, I know. I wrote a letter."

Bert grinned, "I know. I only wanted to test you."

Mary Poppins laughed slightly.

Then she took another sip of her tea, "And Florence?"

"Flornece has flown the coop.", the man explained, "A while ago, actually, to St. Anne's to study."

Mary Poppins nodded acknowledging, "I've heard about that."

For a moment it was completely silent and Mary Poppins and Bert looked at each other quietly.

Then Bert turned to the children.

"So?", he said with childlike curiosity, "What have you done with Mary Poppins so far?"

The children grinned at each other.

"Oh, just so much.", Annabel said.

"Yes.", John agreed, "We had a bath..."

"And we went to the Royal Doulton Music Hall...", Georgie finished.

"We visited Mary Poppins' cousin and danced with the leeries."

"We climbed up Big Ben and..."

"And we went up in the air at the fair."

"And..."

Mary Poppins raised a red-gloved finger and Annabel, John and Georgie stopped immediately.

"Nonsense.", the nanny said, "Foolishness."

John grinned knowingly, "It makes no sense. And if it makes no sense, it can't be true."

Mary Poppins nodded, "I'm flattered, John, thank you."

Then she turned to Bert, "Oh, Bert, no matter how lovely it is to see you after all this time, I'm afraid the children and I must head home. I promised Michael that I would have the children back at home before dinner, he's out tonight."

Slowly, the nanny stood up and put her empty tea cup onto the tray.

Bert got up, too.

With long steps, he went with Mary Poppins and the Banks Children into the hallway and opened the door.

"Goodbye, you three.", he said, then he looked up and looked at Mary Poppins with a long, lingering gaze.

"It was wonderful to see you, Mary Poppins."

And whilst the nanny and the children stepped away from the front door and shrunk in the distance, Bert smiled a small smile and whispered, "Don't stay away too long."

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"Psst."

Annabel sat up straight in her bed.

"Psst.", it sounded again.

It came from the window.

With a jerk, Annabel jumped up and opened the balcony door.

Arthur sat on the banister. Arthur Samuels from Annabel's class, the one with the brown curls and the wide grin.

"You remembered.", Annabek whispered and it almost sounded relieved.

"Of course.", Arthur said and jumped from the banister nimbly, "Why should I've forgotten?"

Annabel shrugged, "I don't know. I thought, you would forget it for sure."

Arthur entered the room and closed the door behind them. Then he looked around, "I always thought, you would have your own room."

Annabel grimaced, "I have, but Mary Poppins sleeps there."

Arthur grinned, "The nanny."

Annabel nodded, "The nanny."

She sat dow next to her bed on the floor and leant against the bed post.

"I can't stay for long.", Arthur admitted, "But I wanted to give something to you."

He took Annabel's hand and put something in it and before Annabel had the time to open her fist to see what it was, Arthur had already jumped up and hurried to the balcony door.

Just when he sat on the banister, he turned around once again.

"Does anyone know about this?", he asked and his voice echoed loud and dump at the same time through the darkness of the night.

Annabel shook her head, "No, no one knows. My father doesn't, Ellen doesn't and Mary Poppins doesn't either."

Arthur grinned, "Very well, then. Goodnight, Annie.'

And he slid down the balcony post and vanished into the darkness.

With a happy smile, Annabel slid under her blankets again and stroked the pendant in her hand.

No one knew about this, it was her own little secret.

And behind the door to the nursery, Mary Poppins smiled faintly.

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We were seventeen, but he was sweet and it was true. Still I did what I had to do.

~ Another Day Of Sun, LaLaLand, Reshma Gajjar