Sorry for the long update! School started, and yeah.

In other news...

BRENDAN COYLE FAVED MY COLLAGE OF HIM ON TWITTER! OMFFF SO HAPPY DYING. I love him. asfhagl.

Imagine your OTP watching funny videos online, person A laughs so hard they lean their chair back too far and slips. Person B quickly, and miraculously catches Person A.

"What is it that you're looking at, dear?" Robert had his hands rightfully behind his back, and he quietly stepped up to his wife, who was at the window. They were in the second floor room that overlooked Downton's garden.

Cora peered out through the clear window, the dark red curtains pinned to both sides of the wall, feeling his body move in closer from behind her. He looked over her shoulder, a curious, small frown playing on his face. Strong late-morning sunlight filtered down into the room, casting a yellow-white glow on the even-whiter carpet. They were dressed, but they decided to spend a little time relaxing in the room they shared together every night, keeping the windows wide open to let in the fresh spring air. The two read most of the time after they got up, but after Cora had finished her morning read she gazed out on the Downton garden and lawn.

"Your mother," she replied, a hint of amusement trembling in her voice, "And Mr. Molesley."

"Mother?" He was mildly surprised at the least. "And the Mr. Molesley from Cousin Isobel?" His face rose in question, and he tried to follow her eyes.

"Yes, and no. Mr. Molesley, with the rose bushes. His father."

There was the smallest of sighs from Robert. His shoulders slumped as if he was in defeat. "Is Mother showing off her flowers again?" he muttered lowly with a grim attitude, but his eyes betrayed him and flickered with humor.

"Poor Mr. Molesley. He can never get rid of her." Cora shook her head in exasperation, pressing the palm of her hand to the window's surface. Her hand seemed to touch the clouds that flew lazily in the sky.

He nudged her good-heartedly, and with a tiny, mock smug look on his face. "Poor Mr. Molesley? What about "poor Robert"?" he sniffed.

"The Robert I know doesn't need any help with his mother." She shot him a big smile, one laced with genuine teasing.

"Well, that Robert has a witch of a mother," he countered, rolling his eyes for effect. "She's the Dowager Countess of Grantham, after all."

"Well, that Robert shouldn't still have mother-issues. What, is that Robert weak?" Cora bit her lip and smirked.

"Weak?! That Robert -" He cut himself off, and shook his head from side to side, utterly baffled with where their conversation was heading. He was determined not to make a fool of himself; Cora almost always won by far. "Why are we speaking in third person?"

He stood there, waiting. But Cora said nothing in reply, and instead she started to drift her attention away from him and towards Violet and Mr. Molesley outside.

"Now, what is it?" Robert finally spoke, not really watching what was happening outside, and more or less kept his eyes on Cora in front of him. Good god, what a beauty she was. He loved how concentrated she could be at times. Her motherly brown eyes would narrow to the slightest slits, and she looked almost dangerous. Of course in a good way. Slowly, he cleared his throat softly and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands coming together at the front. He held her tight against his sturdy body and began to warmly hum under his breath, just barely swaying from side to side and pulling her with his movement. His eyes started to close, enjoying the sweet scent of his wife against him.

"Robert! Quiet! Stop!" Like a striking cobra, Cora suddenly intervened, roughly breaking free from his embrace. He staggered back, bewildered for a moment.

"What?" For crying out loud! He sighed once more, using his hand to brush himself down.

She huddled closer to the window, almost muttering to herself. "No... That can't be..." she whispered with shock, "I..."

"What?" Robert repeated, looking up in worry. He stopped smoothing the wrinkles in his clothes and took a wavering step towards the window. "Is -"

"- Oh, heavens!" But instead of screaming bloody murder - perhaps Violet viciously killed Mr. Molesley in a duel over the better flowers with her studded cane - tears of laughter immediately sprang from her eyes. "I can't believe it! Dear god!" she exclaimed, laughing loudly while hugging her stomach. Her high-pitched squeals bounced off the walls, filling their eyes. It was certainly un-ladylike, but Cora seemed unable to control herself. "Mr. Molesley had dumped a pot of dirt on Cousin Violet! And now she's coming after him with her cane!"

Robert couldn't help but grin widely and caught the furious Violet shooting across the garden's paths like a hawk. For an old woman, she could be a very formidable and fearful opponent when angered. Poor Mr. Molesley, who must have been harassed too much for his liking, seemed paler than a sheet, and was trying to evade the Dowager by criss-crossing through several patches of flowers, not even caring if he crashed over them.

"Goodness...!" He could barely speak, not wanting to disrupt the chase that was happening as they spoke. His eyes and mouth flew open, completely taken aback by the amount of un-ladylike qualities shown that today.

Cora was still laughing, clutching her sides as she stumbled backwards. She appeared like she was going to burst. Never in a long, long time had she let off such joy.

How could he even be embarrassed? How soon would it be until the staff barged through the door, shouting for any injuries? "Cora, dear, contain yourself!" Robert was now chuckling, but mostly out of how ridiculous Cora was, practically laughing her head off. What even caused this? Surely something like a little fight and chase couldn't set her off this much? But it was probably the surprising moment of a usually-stern and poised British upperclassman being seen flying off the hinges that made it more funnier than anything else. Never before had anyone imagined something close to this would ever happen, especially over just flower competition.

His wife was then letting out yelps of pain, her sides hurting too much. It was a mix of laughs and cries, and it caused even an uproarious laugh from Robert himself. The two leaned on each other; mostly Cora, though - she could barely stand upright.

"Look at them run!" Robert yelled at the top of his lungs, drunk on her crazy yet beautiful laughter. He flipped into announcer-mode, acting as if he was viewing an intense Derby race. His leaned right at the window at her side, his face a mere inch from the glass as he took everything in from their two-story viewpoint of the whole garden. " 'Round the bend they go! Ol' Molesley in the front, just barely reaching the end of the lawn! And the Dowager, close behind, ready for a bite! Here they come! Watch out everyone!"

"Robert - stop it! Please!" Cora shook her head wildly as more laughs spilled out of her, trying to suppress herself to no avail. But when one too many laughs racked her body, she slipped over her own two feet, tumbling down towards the thin white carpet that spread on the dark hardwood floor.

Instantly, due to his lightning-quick reflexes honed from the African war, Robert swooped down on his knees, catching her in his ready arms. He didn't sag one bit, and the force and impact knocked the air out of Cora's lungs, stopping her from laughing. She didn't let out a scream or cry, and she just laid frozen in his steady grasp, her mouth gasping open like a stunned fish. Her eyes traveled to his scared face.

"Not so weak, am I, Cora?" he rumbled gently in the deepest of tones, gazing down into her open eyes.

She met his eyes back. A small, thankful smile grazed her crinkled face, the lines of laughter subsiding. "Not at all, Robert."

Thank you so much for reading! As always, reviews welcomed! Expect the next update in a few days, maybe less. :)