Here we go, they've only gone and done it. The proposal is loosely based on one from another show. I have changed it considerably but some eagle eyed TV viewers with fine taste in programmes may recognise where it originates from.

Disclaimer: I do now own anything Lord Fellowes is master and king etc etc

'Mr Bates, where are you going?'

I closed my eyes and stopped dead. Attempting to make my way upstairs unnoticed, those hopes were dashed as Mr Carson called to me from his sitting room doorway.

'The library,' I replied truthfully, turning around.

'Is His Lordship expecting you?' Mr Carson asked, stepping out fully in the hallway to face me.

'No, but he did tell me I could borrow a book anytime I desired to.'

'Yes, he is very generous in that respect.' Mr Carson agreed.

A realisation overcame me. This could quite possibly be the last time I conversed with this man as employer and employee. Yes, His Lordship paid my wages but this was the man I answered to, whose rules I followed. He had shown me the greatest respect when I first arrived, almost defending me in light of my injury and the animosity it caused between me and the other servants.

Then, when he found out about my past, he would have been well within his rights to dismiss me but he didn't. I will always be grateful to him for that. Staying at Downton was one of the major turning points in mine and Anna's relationship. If I had gone, she would be married to Timothy. I shuddered inwardly at the thought. The fact also wasn't lost on me that Mr Carson held His Lordship and indeed Anna in such high regard. This could also be the last time he spoke to me in an affable manner. He wouldn't see our union in Anna's best interests.

'Be on your way, Mr Bates.' He continued, moving to walk back into his office before stopping to look at me again. 'Mr Bates, it was very kind of you to help out with lunch again. Mrs Patmore is run off her feet at the moment, what with one kitchen maid ill and the other on leave. She said she doesn't know what we'd do without you, and I think she's correct.'

I smiled and nodded my head. 'Thank you Mr Carson.'

Turning on my heel and starting my way towards the stairs, I knew he'd never realise the hidden meaning behind my words.

~0~

John wasn't there when I arrived at the library. I was a little early, I had to admit. Then I heard it. The unmistakable sound of his half step, his cane hitting the floor. And it suddenly dawned on me. My life was about to change forever.

Turning to face the direction he was approaching me in, he was nervous. I could tell. But he still afforded me that smile he seemed to reserve for when our eyes met. Once standing in front of me, we seemed to stare at each other for what seemed like hours, but in reality it was only a few seconds.

'Are you sure?' were his whispered words.

I half expected them. Was I sure? Did I love this man above all others? Did I ache whenever we were apart? Did everything else pale in comparison when he was near me? The answer to all those questions was a resounding yes. Of course I was sure. I had never been more certain of anything in my life.

Answering his question without the use of words but by knocking on the door to my father's library, we both seemed to stand up a little straighter to wait for my father to respond. He out of proprietary, me trying to convince John and myself that I wasn't frightened, that we could do this.

'Enter,' Papa boomed.

With a final glance toward him, John nodded his head slightly to indicate he was ready. I squeezed his hand, a gentle reminder this was what I wanted and that we were in this together. Whatever lay ahead, we would face it side by side. Letting go of his hand, I opened the door and entered, followed by John.

'Hello darling,' Papa began upon hearing me enter. 'What was it you wanted to see me..' He stopped as he looked up from his desk to see John following me into the library and shutting the door behind us.

'Bates, I don't believe I rang the bell.'

'No m'lord,' John replied, his voice sounding defiant.

'Then why are you here?' Papa asked, replacing his pen in the inkwell on his desk and standing up.

Here it was. Months of stolen kisses, promises of a life neither of us ever dare dreamed would become a reality had built up to this moment. And now the moment had arrived, finding the right words was much harder than I had imagined. In this room were standing the two men who meant more to me than anything else in this world. The man beside me, I loved with a passion and desire I never knew it was possible to feel, the one in front of me my father. The man who had raised me, loved me unconditionally and whom the answer to the question he had just posed would destroy.

Looking up at John, he could sense my struggle. How I ever thought I could do this myself was beyond me. I wanted to tell my father, I needed to but John's help was required. Trying to convey this in the way I was looking at him, I felt a huge sense of relief as John inhaled deeply before turning to my father.

'M'lord, you know that I have the utmost respect for you, and your family...'

'Bates, what are you trying to say?'

'M'lord, I hope some day you can forgive me...'

'Forgive you for what?' Papa interrupted.

I stood like an innocent bystander, like I was merely a fly on the wall watching this conversation between the two of them. Closing my eyes, visions of what my life was to become flashed before me. Being with John, married to him, holding our newborn child in my arms. This was all ahead of me, and I so desperately wanted those things I was visualising.

Out of the blue, I felt my hand reaching for his. It was almost like I wasn't in control of my own body. Once he registered my touch, John clasped his fingers around mine. All I could see was the look of utter bewilderment on my father's face.

'What in heaven's name is going on here?' Papa bellowed.

I don't know what it was, maybe feeling his hand around mine, but I managed to find the strength to answer Papa's question on this occasion.

'I love him, Papa.'

'What do you mean you love him?' Papa hissed with an unwelcome tone which had become much more familiar in his voice when addressing me recently.

'More than I have loved anything before in my life.' I said honestly.

Papa turned his attentions to John. 'And do you love her?'

'I do, m'lord.'

'What... I don't get it.' He replied, walking towards us. 'When did this happen?' Almost in slow motion, I could see him running something over in his mind. He was moving his glance from John to myself, before he brought his hand to his mouth. 'Timothy..'

'Papa,' I began in attempt to explain myself. But I didn't get the chance.

'He's the reason you called off the wedding,' Papa said, staring at John with disparagement in his eyes. 'This man, twice your age with nothing in the world to offer you...'

'Except everything I've ever wanted,' I replied, my voice now louder.

'We intend to marry, m'lord,' John explained. 'I have bought a home not far from here, we have planned this...'

'I don't care,' Papa shouted, turning his back on us.

'Papa please,' I pleaded. 'I am not a child anymore.'

Somewhere deep in my heart I had harboured hope he wouldn't react like this. What a fool I had been.

'No Anna. How could you possibly think for one moment I would give my blessing to this union?' He continued, his back to us now.

'Papa, before he arrived you said John was the best of men...'

'Yes...' Papa bowed his head.

'Well then,' I replied. 'I soon realised you were right. He is the best of men. A finer one I have never had the pleasure of knowing or will indeed ever know...'

'But he's not the sort of man I want you to marry.' Papa said, thumping his desk with his fist. 'I won't allow it.'

'I've had enough of this,' John said, anger evident in his tone. 'I'm not a Lord, I don't own a string of land. I'm not invited to fancy balls, I've never been hunting. Surely M'lord, you must see that's just details? The fact of the matter is I love your daughter. Yes I am twice her age, certainly not worthy of her but I intend to spend the rest of my life trying to prove to her, and you if I have to, that I am.'

Papa stared at John in almost deafening silence. Our hands still entwined, I felt him gently squeeze, another reminder to me that he was by my side every step of the way.

'Anna, please will you leave me and Bates alone.' Papa requested, his voice eerily calm.

'But Papa...'

' Anna, just do it. Please leave.'

'Go,' John said, looking down at me with a faint smile on his face.

Against my better judgement, I let go of his hand. 'I'll be waiting.'

'You most certainly will not. Go to your room and do not leave it until I authorise you to do so.'

I reluctantly let go of John's hand and moved to the door then. Hand on the doorknob, I looked over my shoulder as John watched me leave. With a final glance to my father I left the library and ran to my room in tears.

~0~

With Anna gone, it was just me and him. We remained quiet for a few moments before he sat back down at his desk and began shuffling through some papers. My mind was full of Anna. The need to hold her overwhelming. His Lordship began to write something, bringing me out of my daydream.

'Alright Bates, how much?'

'Excuse me, m'lord?' I asked, unable to fathom the response he required from me.

'Money? To leave and never see Anna again?'

I had never been so shocked in all my life. Of course, he was entitled to feel outraged after the news he had just received, but I had never expected a man whom I held in the highest regard would resort to paying me off to leave. I was also insulted he would believe a man of my morals would accept such an offer.

'M'lord, I do not want your money.' I replied.

'Well, your services are no longer warranted here,' he continued, throwing his pen back on the desk. 'I will ensure you and Anna never see eachother again...'

'M'lord, she is not a child. She is an adult, with her own ideas and values, her own mind. It was those very beliefs that made me fall in love with her in the first place.'

'She is my daughter. And so long as she lives in my home she will live by my rules,' he rebuked, again banging his fist on the desk to emphasise his point. 'Bates, you know I have the utmost respect for you. But this is all wrong. She's meant to marry someone who can offer her stability, a life befitting of her and her class.'

'But not someone who loves and respects her with all his heart, m'lord?' I replied. He stilled then, his gaze meeting mine. 'We would be comfortable, m'lord. I have a home to offer, money left to me from my mother...'

'Bates, You were right when you said you are unworthy of Anna. No man is worthy. The only man good enough for her would be able to lay all the treasures this world has to offer at her feet. Impossible.' He said sadly, staring out of the window. 'A father will always believe no man is good enough for his daughter.'

'But I want to be.'

'I can't allow it Bates,' he replied, standing up. 'She is a grown woman, I accept that but I will insist she listen to me in this instance. The man she does end up with will be one which won't bring scandal upon this family.'

This man was ripping out my heart and he didn't even realise it. Anna wanted to be with me, I knew that. He couldn't stop her leaving, she was a grown woman. He had angered me, yet the respect I had for this man still left me believing I should be honest with him.

'I will propose to her, m'Lord.'

'Then I will request her to decline.'

'And if she doesn't?' I asked.

'Then I shall have nothing to do with her. She doesn't respect the family and class she was brought up in, then she shall face the consequences.' He replied honestly. 'Now Bates, as of this moment your employment here is terminated. Please pack your things and leave immediately.'

'If that is what you wish, m'lord, I'm sorry it ended in this manner.'

Beginning to walk away, I stopped. Anna was my primary concern. My relationship with His Lordship becoming untenable didn't matter. Saving the relationship between the love of my life and the only father she'll ever have, did.

'M'lord, please think on this.' I began turning to look at him again. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew I had his attention. 'Forget about class for a moment. Your social standing. Anna is your only daughter. For some reason I will never know she has chosen me. She loves me, says I am the key to her happiness. Surely you want her to be happy? For heavens sake, banish me but not Anna. '

He exhaled deeply before replying. 'Just leave, Bates.'

~0~

Running downstairs having just heard from my father that John was leaving, I had to see him. My father's pleas for me not to go to John fruitless as he stopped chasing me as I reached the stairs. I soon found myself below deck, as it were.

Reaching the corridor of living quarters, I walked to the locked door which separated male and female bedrooms. Eleanor had told me about this door and the mystery it held. The punishment if anyone but Mrs Hughes unlocked it. Those warnings were pushed to the back of my mind as I reached for the key. Walking through the now open door, I could hear a noise coming from one of the rooms. Noticing a door slightly ajar, I walked towards it. Standing in the hallway, I peered in and saw John busy packing away his belongings. It didn't take long for him to notice me standing there.

'Anna,' he whispered as I walked in and shut the door behind me. 'You shouldn't be here.'

'I had to see you,' I exclaimed. He held out his arms for me to fall in to his embrace. 'What now?'

'I've been dismissed,' he said, pulling me tighter to him.

'I know,' I replied, tears now falling freely down my cheeks. 'What about us? We are still going to be together, aren't we? What Papa has said doesn't change anything.'

'Not for me. But what about you?'

I answer him by pressing my lips to his, kissing him in the sweetest way my innocence knows how. I needed him to know I wanted him more than ever. Nothing could ever change my feelings for him.

As we broke apart, he took my hand in his and lead me to sit on the edge of his bed. Opening his case, he pulled out a small box.

'Then, I shall do this.'

Slowly bending down on one knee, holding the ring in one hand, my hand with the other, he looked up at me and gave me that smile. My smile. The expression I longed to see every day for the rest of my life.

'Anna, you're father just said to me the only man worthy of you would be able to lay all the treasures the world had to offer at your feet.' He opened the box before continuing. 'Well, I've only found this piece so far. But if you accept it, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find the rest for you.'

'Oh John..' I whimpered, taking in the sight of the beautiful sapphire ring he was offering me.

'Anna, will you marry me?'

'Of course I will,' I replied without hesitation.

As he slipped the ring on my finger, the difficult part now over, the thought of the rest of our lives wasn't just a thought anymore. It was becoming a reality.

'I can't afford a fancy wedding, but...'

'John,' I interrupted. 'All that matters is that it is you I am marrying. You and me, a registry office, a wedding ring and witnesses. That is all we need. From now on, you are all I will ever need.'