A/N- Thank you for all your reviews and favourites and follows. I've been trying to find some time to update this having been busy with family stuff and was glad to find a day today to write this. It might not be perfect, I usually tinker with a chapter for a few days but I wanted to update sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer- Same as chapters 1-10...

Cora furrowed her brow as she walked down the stairs, having just settled Madison down for the night, hearing familiar voices speaking in the kitchen. It was Friday, the day Madison stayed for the night so Cora wasn't really expecting to hear who she was hearing talking to her husband. Rounding the bottom of the stairs, Cora's curiosity was almost getting the better of her as she reached the kitchen.

'John?' Cora said, the two men immediately ceasing their conversation. 'Did you forget something earlier?'

'Seems our old chum here is needing our advice,' Robert informed his wife, raising his eyebrows.

'I would have mentioned something earlier but I didn't want Madison to hear and get the wrong end of the stick.'

Cora joined the men at the table. 'What's going on?'

'Ryan had a word with me yesterday, about Anna,' John began to explain, picking up the coaster in front of him and fiddling with it between his fingers.

'Ryan,' Cora said aloud, trying to place him. 'Oh, Milo's Dad.'

'Yeah. He reckons Anna is so madly in love with me that if I went over to New York in person to ask her to come home, she would.'

Silence fell then, Cora regarding John with an incredulous look before looking to Robert who shook his head before placing a hand on the back of his neck.

'Why does he think that?'

'Apparently, before she left Ryan asked her to marry him and she refused because she was in love with me.'

'And what do you want to do, John?' Cora asked, helping herself to a cup of coffee from the pot in the middle of the table. 'How do you feel?'

'I told her I loved her before she left,' John revealed, Robert sighing deeply beside him. John's eyes shot to his friend, his tone holding an air of annoyance as he spoke. 'What?'

Robert folded his arms, leaning back in his chair. 'Well, if that wasn't enough to make her stay then, what will going to New York and finding her do?'

'I think it would be incredibly romantic,' Cora cooed in between sips of her coffee. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'

'Yes darling, as you tell me every time you try and persuade me to go to the shop to buy you a bar of chocolate,' Robert replied sardonically. 'It's just an awfully long way to go if she just rejects you all over again.'

'Part of me wants to go,' John revealed dropping the coaster from his grasp. 'Just to see her one last time.'

'Then go,' Cora shrugged. 'Can you afford a ticket?'

'Of course he can,' Robert said with a laugh. 'He's a vet who charges people two hundred quid a pop so a dog can have his bits chopped.'

'Yes, thank you for being so delicate as usual, my angel,' Cora shifted in her chair and crossed her legs. 'All I'm saying is life is too short to wonder what if, and if Anna makes you as happy as you say she does, then go for it. At least you'll know once and for all.'

John tapped his fingers against the table as he considered Cora's words, Robert leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table and looking at his friend. He stared intently as his face, before shaking his head once more. 'He's going to go and bloody do it. The man is going to fly half way across the world and have his heart broken again.'

'Then I'll just return to your loving embrace to lick my wounds, Rob.'

'Hadn't you better ask her parents about this?' Robert suggested, choosing to ignore his friends remark. 'What if Ryan is saying this to get his son back?'

'That is why he is saying it, I'm not stupid, Robert. He wants his son back and after speaking to him and seeing how much he is hurting, I don't blame him.'

'Hmmm…'

'I could be opening a whole can of worms,' John interrupted his friend. 'But you're right, I should speak to her mum and dad before I do anything.'

'I think you're making a mistake. This Ryan bloke seems dodgy to me.'

'Maybe you're right but I simply don't care. I need to see Anna. She told Ryan she's in love with me.'

'If she actually said that,' Robert muttered under his breath.

'Well, if you go we'll have Maddie,' Cora said, hushing Robert before he had a chance to further voice his protestations.

'Thank you,' John said as he stood up.

'Where are you going?' Robert asked.

'To speak to Elsie and Charles, then I'll look for a flight tomorrow.'

Robert followed him down the hall. 'Isn't that awfully sudden?'

'Maybe,' John shrugged. 'But I miss her Rob. It's driving me absolutely insane. I need to see her, one last time. Yes, Ryan might have planted the seed but since I got the notion in my head, it has consumed my every thought. I need to try.'

'Alright,' Robert exhaled a deep breath. 'You have my blessing.'

'That's very noble of you.' John cocked his head to the side, his voice sarcastic.

Robert took a breath before replying, trying to keep his voice calm despite his annoyance. 'Look, you're my best mate and it may come as a surprise to you that I actually care about you and what happens to you. I don't want you to get more hurt than you already are.'

'Well, here's the thing. I can stay here and be miserable knowing I never tried to win Anna back, or I can find out once and for all if we were meant to be.' John placed a hand on the door handle before opening the door. 'I have to do this.'

John wasn't sure what to expect as he stood on the doorstep of Anna's parents house. They didn't know each other really, but every interaction he had with them in the past had been pleasant and civil. A silhouette behind the door caught John's eye and he suddenly stood straighter. Once the door was open, a confused looking Charles Carson was standing before John.

'John,' he said, looking the man up and down. 'How can I help you?'

'I was wondering if I might have a word with you. And your wife, of course.'

Charles was nodding in the next moment, which was a relief to John. He accepted the invitation to cross the threshold, and stood by as Charles shut the door. 'We're in the living room. Follow me.'

Following the man in silence, John felt a little guilty as he realised he had interrupted these two people as they were enjoying a quiet evening in, watching television. He hung back a little as Charles explained the situation.

'Elsie, it's John. Madison's Dad.'

'John?' Elsie rose from her place on the sofa as John appeared in the doorway, Charles resuming his position in his armchair.

'Hello Mrs Carson,' John greeted her politely, offering his hand.

'Please, it's Elsie,' the woman replied, shaking his hand and gesturing for him to sit beside her on the sofa. 'What brings you here, John?'

John looked to Charles who was sitting uncomfortably in his chair, staring at the television. He creased his forehead slightly before turning back to Elsie, who appeared much more accommodating.

'Ryan came to see me.' Hearing him clear his throat, John eyes darted back to look at Charles. 'He told me Anna wasn't exactly happy in New York.'

'Well he was wrong,' Charles quickly replied. 'The office is booming, business is great and Anna is doing really well.'

'That might be true,' Elsie agreed with her husband, 'but she admitted to us she and Milo are finding it hard to adapt.'

'Of course they are,' Charles argued, John confused as to his demeanour. 'It takes weeks, months even to acclimatise to living in a different country.'

'What else did Ryan say, John?' Elsie shook her head in her husband's direction, John sensing they shared differing views on Anna and her situation.

'He suggested I go over to New York and get Anna and Milo to come home.'

Charles snorted at the suggestion, John was finding it hard to bite his tongue. Clearly, all Charles wanted to do was protect his daughter but his tutting and silent rebuttals really were infuriating.

'Will you?' John noted Elsie's voice was hopeful as she asked him.

'You can try, but Anna isn't a quitter,' Charles sat forward in his armchair, turning off the television. 'She's worked hard to find herself in this position and if she was going to let anyone stand in her way, for example you, then she wouldn't have gone in the first place. What difference will it make? She has already made her decision.'

'She didn't know it was going to be this difficult when she left, Charlie,' Elsie countered, John realising they had probably had this conversation before as Charles rolled his eyes.

He could understand Charles position, after all John was a father himself. If Madison had worked hard to carve out a career for herself, he wouldn't want her to give up when the going got rough either. But on the other hand, he would want her to be happy. Like John truly believed Anna would be with him. If she rebuked him, then so be it and John would do his best to try and move on.

'I love your daughter, Mr Carson,' John tried to explain, turning his body so he was facing the man in the armchair. 'These past few weeks have been absolute torture.'

'You have a daughter,' Charles said, pointing at John.

'I do,' John nodded.

'Wouldn't you want to stick at it if she was pursuing her dreams? If it was something she had wanted for so long?'

'Yes, but I'd also want my daughter to be happy in all aspects of her life, which as Elsie and Ryan's testimonies suggest, Anna isn't. '

'And Anna will be happy with you, will she?' Charles asked impatiently, becoming more agitated by the second. 'What have you to offer her?'

'I am the first to admit I am not worthy of Anna,' John looked to Elsie who's eyes were brimming with tears. He offered her a weak smile as she placed her hand on his shoulder. John looked back to Charles who had his gaze still focussed on him. 'But I want to be given the chance to try and be, Mr Carson. And there is Milo to think about in all of this as well. He misses his Dad, I'm sure he misses his Nan and Granddad.'

'Well, I admit I am missing the little chap too,' Charles conceded.

'If Anna wanted to come home upon seeing John, Charlie, would you really bemoan her?' Elsie's voice was desperate as she spoke, as if she had been trying to convince her husband of this for a while. This woman truly missed her daughter and Grandson, John could tell and fully understood. 'Remember that little girl we met a little over twenty five years ago? The girl we both promised we would do anything to ensure her happiness.'

'I can't guarantee she'll come home with me,' John was quick to try and temper Elsie's flaring hopes, 'but I just wanted to make sure I had both your blessings to go and see her.'

'Well, you have mine,' Elsie replied without missing a beat. Both then looked to Charles who had looked away, shaking his head.

'You are a grown man, you don't need my permission to do anything,' Charles remarked before lifting his head to meet John's eyes. 'But don't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do.'

'I would never do that,' John promised.

'Alright then.'

John's face broke out into a smile, the realisation dawning on him that he was going to see Anna once again. Elsie's hand had remained on his shoulder, rubbing a path down his upper arm and back again.

'When will you go?'

'I'll book a flight tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow, that's a bit sudden,' Charles was quick to rebuke.

'That's exactly what my best mate said.'

'Well, at least someone around here is talking sense,' Charles said as he rose to his feet. 'I'm going to bed.'

Once he was out of the room, John exhaled deeply. 'Tough crowd.'

'He just doesn't want Anna to give up that easily,' Elsie explained in defence of her husband. 'But he doesn't know the extent of it. Anna tells me, once he's out of ear shot. The business side of things is going swimmingly, but she and Milo are struggling to settle.'

'Has she spoken about coming home?'

'Milo has,' Elsie replied before shaking her head, 'but Anna hasn't. She just keeps saying what her dad does, they need time to adapt.'

John's shoulders slumped in defeat. 'So I might be wasting my time then?'

'I don't know,' Elsie smiled warmly. 'But you never know. Flying to New York to see her, what a grand gesture. I know my daughter and I think it is something she will appreciate.'

John's mind was made up now, though. And he wasn't sure there was anyone who could stop him going now.

Wheeling her Peppa Pig suitcase into her room at Robert and Cora's, John smiled as he followed Madison into the room. It was very pink, but then again that was his daughter. He had to battle to keep his expression deadpan as Madison turned to regard him, sunglasses on as well as her best Disney Princess jewellery.

'Why am I staying here, Daddy?' she asked, having been kept in the dark until now, only being told Daddy had to go somewhere for a couple of days. There was no time like the present, he supposed. John looked to the white wicker chair in the corner of the room and walked to it, sitting down before opening his arms wide.

'Come and sit with me.'

Sighing exasperatedly, causing John to stifle a chuckle, Madison took off her sunglasses, placed them on the bed before clambering into her father's lap.

'Now, you miss Milo, don't you?' She nodded, John surprised she had chosen to remain silent before continuing. 'And you know that Daddy liked Anna very, very much.'

'You love her Daddy.'

He couldn't help but smirk at her perceptiveness, yet again. 'Yes, I do. Very much. So, Daddy isn't promising they will, but he is going to fly to New York to ask Anna if she would like to come home with him.'

'And Milo?' Madison was quick to ask.

'Yes, and Milo.' John tightened his grip around Madison as doubt crept into his voice. 'Now, she might say no and she and Milo will stay there, but Daddy wants to try his best.'

'I hope they come home, Daddy,' Madison replied with a tiny voice.

'Really? Why's that?'

'Because you smiled a lot more when Anna was here.'

And in that moment, John remembered, as if he needed reminding, why the little creature in his arms was the most precious thing in his life. Kissing her temple, she was wriggling free from his arms and across to her suitcase in the next moment. Opening it, she pulled out a box which contained her tea set.

'Will you be alright here?'

'Don't worry about me, Daddy,' she said with a maturity that went beyond her tender four years. 'Uncle Robert will play tea parties with me, and Aunty Cora knows where my preschool is.'

'Well, looks like you're all set then,' John said, leaning forward in the chair and resting his elbows on his knees as he watched Madison empty her suitcase, putting things away in their correct places. She really was growing up before his very eyes. 'Maddie.'

'Yes Daddy,' she replied, not looking up from her task as she placed her favourite Teddy on her pillow.

'I do love you.'

'I love you too, Daddy,' she replied, looking at him and smiling. He felt his heart burst with love as they held eye contact for the briefest of seconds before she was on to the next thing. 'Do you think Aunty Cora will let me make some cookies?'

He had been crying again. Anna hated to leave Milo, but it was part and parcel of being a single working mother. An hour or so after she had left, the Nanny she had hired, Rachel, would always send a text with a picture of Milo enjoying whatever she had set out for him that day. He was fine, Anna kept telling herself. He would adapt. It would take time but he would. Eventually.

Sitting in her office as the clock slowly ticked to the time she could finish for the day, Anna stroked the picture of Milo that sat on her desk. It had been tough, getting the new office off the ground but one look at this photo every day had reminded her who she was doing this for and now the place was thriving. She was flavour of the month, going places. Finally. All she had worked for was coming to fruition. But, when a lull in the day such as now occurred, she found her thoughts drifting to one thing and one thing only. John.

She felt so badly about how things had been left between them. How much she regretted not telling him that night at the hotel. In the moment it was the right thing to do but ever since that evening she had felt terrible. Terrible that she had probably made him doubt her feelings for him.

The text she sent after she and Milo had arrived had been read but not replied to. Anna didn't really know what she was expecting. John had declared his love and she run off into the night, despite reciprocating wholeheartedly. Sometimes she imagined seeing him one last time, to tell him all she felt. But at least she knew now, after he didn't acknowledge her message. John was moving on with his life and it was time to put that chapter of her life to bed.

Looking up, Anna saw Drew approaching her office through the blinds. Inhaling a deep breath, Anna readied herself.

'Anna, a few of us are going to Alfredo's bar for a drink to celebrate Trey's birthday. Fancy it?'

Drew was Anna's PA and a nice girl, if not a little ditzy. And loud She was fresh out of college and extremely keen to impress. Trey was twenty and the office stud. He had just qualified as a junior accountant and was hired by the firm to learn from Anna. He had tried it on with Anna on just her second day here, she having to bite back laughter as he tried to work his immature charms on her.

'I'll politely decline if you don't mind, Drew,' Anna replied, trying to remain as sincere as she could. 'But thank you for asking.'

'No problem,' Drew said with a wave of her hand, 'maybe next time. You know it's home time, right?'

'Oh, is it?' Anna replied, standing up and reaching for the jacket from the back of her chair. 'Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then.'

'Sure thing, have a nice evening.'

And with that, she was gone. Anna smiled, feeling heartened they had thought of her although relieved her PA had accepted Anna's apologies. She had to listen to Drew's high pitched voice all day long, the last thing she wanted was an evening of it. After putting her jacket on, Anna packed her briefcase before leaving the office, turning off the light before she did so.

John stood from the bench he had been occupying as he saw a crowd of people exit the lift. This has been happening for the past hour. Bursts of people leaving together, all from different offices no doubt. He hoped he had got the right place, walking over to the index of the offices in the building, for the thousandth time, and seeing Miller Accountants was still listed and hadn't been erased since the last time he looked.

His flight had landed just shy of two o clock. He was able to bypass baggage reclaim, having only bought a rucksack with a change of underwear and shirt, plus toiletries. He hadn't been sure what to expect and he had already reasoned whatever Anna decided, he wouldn't be here for long either way. That rucksack was sitting beside the bench he had occupied in the lobby of the building for the past two hours, waiting for Anna to appear.

'Shit,' he said aloud suddenly, placing his hands on his hips.

'Are you alright sir?'

John looked behind him to see an efficient looking woman sitting behind the reception desk, peering up at him under creased eyebrows.

'Yes, sorry,' John was quick to apologise. He wasn't usually one to curse in public. He had just realised he had forgotten to tell Joseph he was coming to New York. Making a mental note to call as soon as he had the chance, and then offer to work the next month of Saturdays in apology, John resumed his position on the bench.

It was five now. Surely Anna would finish soon. All this waiting was making John doubt himself. Was this a good idea? What if Ryan had just played him for a fool and what he said happened actually hadn't? What if Anna didn't reciprocate his feelings and whatever was between them was only temporary to her?

John stood up again, dismissing the disapproving noises from the receptionist behind him, unable to resist pacing the floor again as his anxiety rose. He placed his hands in his pockets, releasing a sigh. A look to the doors he had walked through hours before and the temptation to use them was difficult to ignore. Moving his hands to his hips, he heard a voice from behind him and suddenly John's heart was beating with all the rhythm of a speeding train.

'John?'

There was the voice again. He wasn't imagining it. John peered over his shoulder. Anna. Turning on his heel, this was it. Sink or swim. John didn't have a clue what he was going to say. God, he wished he was better at this. All he was doing was standing there, simply staring at her, willing himself to find the words to break the ice. But they simply were not forthcoming.

She couldn't believe he was here. There he was, the man who had captured her heart, the man she thought she would never see again, and he was standing not twenty feet away. John had flown all this way, to see her. Her insides fluttered at the realisation. Why would he do that if he felt nothing? But here he was. And in that moment all she wanted was to feel his arms around her.

Closing the gap between them, Anna locked her gaze on John's before placing her hands on his cheeks and crashing her lips against his. John was completely taken by surprise, struggling to keep up but somehow telling himself to wrap Anna in his embrace as she deepened the kiss. He hadn't realised how much he had missed Anna until she was back in his arms.

Pulling away, Anna looked up into his eyes, placing her hands on his shoulder's to balance herself. And now the time was right.

'I love you too,' she whispered before briefly brushing her lips against John's once more, twice, then three times. 'I love you so much.'

'You do?' He laughed at her admission, nodding his head before reciprocating her kiss with one of his own, the adrenaline was soaring through his body upon hearing the words that she felt the same. Or maybe it was relief.

'Yes,' she breathed, not able to resist placing another kiss upon his lips. 'I am so sorry with how I left things between us. It was wrong of me and…'

'Shh,' John hushed her, meeting her lips with his own for another time. 'It doesn't matter. I understand why you did it.' This seemed to quell Anna's fears, she tightening her grip around his shoulders and settling into his arms. 'It's lovely to see you.'

'And you,' Anna agreed, the two still holding each other close, fearing this might be a dream and the other would disappear if they let go.

Anna's colleagues were making their way past the couple, a few murmurings of speculation were heard but Anna couldn't find it in herself to care as she wrapped her arms more tightly around John's shoulders.

'You look as beautiful as ever,' John whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

Leaning back a little so she could look into his eyes, Anna stroked John's cheek. 'Look, let me call Milo's Nanny to say I'll be a little bit late and we can go and get a coffee or something. I think we have a lot to talk about.'

'Alright, if you are sure,' John replied, stepping away from Anna although searching for her hand and squeezing it with his own. She offered him a smile before relinquishing contact all together, and John instantly felt colder. How he got along without even so much as hearing her voice was beyond him, let alone her touch.

He walked to the bench to pick up his rucksack, lifting his head to be met with the smirking face of the woman behind the reception desk. 'She's pretty.'

John found himself nodding in agreement as he placed his bag on his back. 'Stunning even.'

'That was quite a show,' the woman continued.

'Yeah,' John shifted from foot to foot. 'Sorry about that.'

'Don't be. It made a nice change from all the photocopying and coffee runs.'

'John.'

Looking over his shoulder, John saw that Anna was ready to leave.

'Good luck,' the woman smiled, before rising from her feet and disappearing through the door behind her.

'Ready?' Anna offered John her hand, her face beaming and it made him want to leap with joy that he had made her so happy by being here. Reaching her side, they left the building hand in hand.

Once in the coffee shop, they were both relieved to find the place relatively deserted. Anna chose a table in the corner whilst John purchased their drinks, relieved they accepted his credit card after realising he didn't actually have any dollars on him. He laughed to himself about the impulsiveness of this all. But then he looked at Anna, looking so beautiful, so gleeful as she looked at the bustling crowds outside of the window and realised why he had done this.

As he waited for their drinks to be prepared, John thought about what he was actually going to say to Anna. Her reaction to seeing him had been more than John could have hoped. She loved him, and no matter what happened, just hearing her say those three words had made everything worth it. If they both loved each other, surely there was something between them worth fighting for?

Carrying their drinks to the table, John met Anna's gaze and it was all he could do not to drop the coffee all over the floor. Relieved he had made it back to the table in once piece, John sat down and instinctively pulled his chair closer to Anna's, she doing the same. He couldn't help himself once he was settled, resting a hand on her cheek and pulling her lips towards him for another kiss. She accepted it gratefully, leaning into his touch and John was sure he could hear her sigh lustfully.

'I love you,' he whispered against her lips, both their eyes still closed. 'Sweetheart.'

Her eyes shot open at that term of endearment, her heart beating wildly in her chest like a caged animal trying to free itself. She had closed her eyes at night and tried to remember exactly how he said the word, but nothing came close to hearing it fall from his beautiful lips.

'I love you too, John' she breathed. 'For the longest time now.'

'How is Milo?' John finally asked after they had allowed a beat of silence to pass between them. Anna rested her hand on John's thigh as she took a sip of her coffee, he placing his hand over hers.

'So so,' Anna replied, 'missing everyone but we both are. It's going to take time.'

'I've spoken to your parents,' John revealed, Anna meeting his gaze. 'And Ryan.'

'Ryan?' Anna creased her brow. 'Why him?'

'He came to me, after work a few days ago. Told me that you were in love with me and refused his proposal.'

'Yes,' Anna nodded, stirring her coffee with the tea spoon from her saucer. 'He asked me to marry him before I left.'

'To try and get Milo to stay?' John asked.

'No, apparently he wanted me. He's realised what a fool he has been and wanted to make it up to me. Ryan wanted the three of us, him, me and Milo to be a real family.'

It didn't sit well with him that Ryan had tried to win Anna's affections in such a way, but her refusing him by saying she was in love with John went some way to alleviating his fears. It hadn't been a lie. John felt his heart skip a beat as it dawned on him Ryan hadn't been lying. For once. But John wanted to hear it from Anna herself.

'But you didn't want to marry him? Not even for Milo's sake?'

'Especially not for Milo's sake,' Anna shook her head. 'That wouldn't be fair on any of us. But the main reason was you.'

John leant a little closer to Anna, whispering in her ear. 'I'd be lying if I didn't say I was delighted to hear it, Miss Smith.'

'I'm glad, Mr Bates,' Anna answered with just the right lilt to her voice for John to feel his desire for her rising. 'But I feel I should be completely honest with you.'

'What do you mean?'

'We're not coming home.'

And with those words, John felt his heart sink like a lead balloon. Of course she wasn't coming home, he had been a presumptuous fool to think she would drop everything to come back with him. Anna had given up so much to follow her dream to throw it all away for someone like him.

Anna noted his face fall upon hearing her words. But being here with him, feeling his touch upon her skin once more, tasting his kiss on her lips again and Anna knew that this couldn't simply be it. She couldn't say bye to him for good, not again. She just prayed he would be open to what she was about to suggest.

'I won't give up that easily, John,' Anna tried to explain herself, lifting his chin so he would look at her. 'Milo will adjust, I will adjust. Eventually. But there is something I would like to ask of you. And I understand if you can't do it, and that's fine.'

'What is it?'

'I love you, and I want you in my life.'

'I want that too,' John agreed without any hint of doubt in his voice. 'But I can't see how we do that if I am in Yorkshire and you are here?'

'If you can promise me you'll wait for me, then I say we give the long distance relationship a try.'

'Anna, I haven't so much as thought about another woman since you came into my life,' John admitted before rubbing a hand over his face. 'But you said from the beginning you didn't want anything like that.'

'But that was before I realised trying to live without you in my life was pointless. I know that if I have the knowledge you are somewhere in the world, completely and utterly in love with me, I can face whatever challenges come up here.'

'I've been completely and utterly in love with you since I saw you and Madison at the farm,' John smiled, his voice soft as he brushed a strand of hair from Anna's face. 'Making daisy chains together.'

She was laughing gently at his words, tightening her grip on his thigh before speaking. 'I've been in love with you since I overheard yours and Milo's conversation about which superhero had the best outfit.'

'The children play a big part in all of this,' John said, 'the way you are with Maddie is a big factor. She adores you.'

'I adore her. Like Milo does you.'

'There is Skype, I suppose,' John shrugged, looking beyond Anna and focusing on a spot on the wall behind her. 'And the phone.'

'And we can visit. I have it in my contract I come to England for a few days once every few weeks, and you and Maddie can come over here. The company will pay for flights once I explain the situation.'

'It sounds like you have it all worked out.'

'So you'll do it?'

'I suppose to have you in my life in any way is worth the distance,' John acquiesced. 'For the time being anyway.'

'Oh John,' Anna threw her arms around him, pulling him tightly to her. 'Thank you.'

'It's not going to be easy,' John was quick to remind her. 'There will be times when we are going to hate this situation.'

'I'd rather have this situation with you than none,' Anna argued, resting a hand on his shoulder before meeting his eyes once more. 'Let's just take this one day at a time.'

A/N 2- Was it ironic that Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx came on my iPod as I read through this? And I don't trust that Ryan at all, either.