A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry for my long absence! :( I try to continue very soon, but for now, I wanted to give you a little Interlude to celebrate Christmas. It's obviously not following the usual plot. Just take it as a look into the future. :)
I really just wanted to write a sweet little something for you. Hope you guys enjoy my Christmas gift! Happy holidays to all of you! God bless you!

~oOOo~

A low grumble escaped his throat as he felt something nibble at his ear. Or better said, someone.

He smiled in his half-sleep and wrapped his big arms around the tiny frame next to him. He heard a giggle and felt how a warm body snug against his and fingers started to play with his chest hair. While John Bates tried to fall asleep again, the teasing of his wife didn't stop. She wrapped one of her slender legs around his and placed feathery kisses on his shoulder and his chest before her teeth sunk into his earlobe.

"That's not fair", John grumbled, still refusing to open his eyes. She knew exactly how much he liked it when she nibbled at his earlobe. But his wife just giggled playfully and sucked the earlobe between her soft lips. A shiver ran up an down his spine.

"I'm sleeping."

"It's Christmas morning" his wife whispered sweetly into his ear and her hand cupped his cheek to keep his head in place for her seductive attacks.

"Emphasis on 'morning'", John grumbled. He heard his wife sigh theatrically and the attacks stopped. John smiled, thinking he had won and pulled his wife closer. She rested her head on his chest and sighed once more.

It was silent again in the small bedroom and John was nearly drifting back to sleep when he felt his wife's hand roaming over his chest and belly, gently plucking at his chest hair. Her foot stroke up and down his calf and her hot breath tickled his nipple.

"Mrs. Bates, please stop your teasing", he demanded in a low voice. "You're not a morning person, anyway. Why are you up already?"

"You don't know what time it is. It could be past noon."

"I always know what time it is."

The naked woman in his arms huffed. She knew very well that he told the truth.

"All right, it's not. But I couldn't sleep anymore."

"So you decided to wake me up, too?"

The entire conversation, John still had his eyes closed.

"I thought you might want to celebrate Christmas with me…in private…"

He knew that tone in her voice. Her penetrations should have been enough of a hint, but her tone was unmistakable.

John decided to wake up.

"I see", he whispered with a smile and finally opened his eyes. His beautiful wife was towering over her and the glint in her brown eyes told him everything he needed to know.

"Good morning, love", she whispered and beamed at him, her hand wandering in his messy brown hair.

"Good morning, little minx."

She giggled again and he pulled her on top of him, his fingertips brushing up and down her back. He felt the goose bumps on her silky flesh and grinned boyishly before she pressed her lips on his, her tongue instantly sneaking between his lips to greet his.

John sighed in approval and let one hand wander into her long blond hair while the other came to rest on her bum, gently squeezing her left cheek. He loved her on top of him. It felt like she was all around him, her hot breasts pressing delightfully against his chest, her long legs entangled with his and her sweet scent wrapping around him. He loved how her hair fell on his shoulders, how it felt between his fingers. He loved how she kissed him, tender and passionate at the same time, claiming him and giving herself to him without holding back. He loved that she was his and he was hers. Forever.

Just as John was about to unite them, a high-pitched scream was heard. John stopped in his actions.

"They're fine", his wife whispered hoarsely and pressed her pelvis against his demandingly. John was kissing her again when another scream was heard, followed by something crashing.

"I'll clean it up later…whatever it was", she whispered again and begged for attention. But John couldn't ignore the loud discussion outside their room.

"Love", he whispered hoarsely in a tone that made clear that their private celebration would have to wait.

Mrs. Bates sighed loudly and buried her face in his chest.

"Those little monsters."

John chuckled and stroke her hair.

"We'll celebrate tonight, when their back in bed."

His beautiful wife made a voice to state her disapproval and John had to chuckle again. To cheer her up, he whispered in her ear:

"You can have your way with me, then. I'll do whatever you want me to."

She didn't lift her head, but he could feel her smile against his chest. She was teasingly biting his skin when another crashing sound echoed into the bedroom.

"Oh, those boys! If you don't watch them twenty-four hours, they break the whole house."

Mumbling under her breath, Mrs. Bates climbed off her husband and stood up. John admired her nakedness while she picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and put them on.

After her delicious bum was properly covered, John decided to get up to and put on one of his finer suits. It was Christmas, after all, and the Bates' liked to celebrate it in a traditional way.

After he had adjusted his tie he turned around to see his wife brushing her long blonde hair. He watched how the brush went through it, the light from the small window next to the dressing table caught in her fair streaks. When she twirled her hair in order to pull it up, John walked over, wrapped his hands around her waist and placed a lingering kiss on her long neck.

"Wear it open", he whispered and pulled her close.

"John", she said in a scolding voice and shook her head, smiling. "We're supposed to be a good example to the boys, show them how to behave properly."

Ignoring his pouting look in the mirror, she put her hair into a tight bun.

"They won't become criminals just because their mother wore her hair open like a fairy."

She giggled and turned around in his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I thought witches wore their hair open."

"I'd never think of you as a witch, dear."

"Hmm…but you did accuse me of bewitching you once."

"When did I ever say that?" he asked, honestly confused.

His wife grinned up at him, mischief in her eyes.

"I believe it was our honeymoon. Remember? You and me…outside…the full moon…illuminating our naked bodies…"

John cleared his throat. The memory of that night was burned into his mind, heart and soul. They had reveled in their love and desire until they had laid in the grass exhausted, heart beats racing, limbs weak, muscles sore. It had been a magical night, indeed.

"Oh, right…", he stuttered and felt heat rise in his cheeks as pictures of her glistening body under and on top of him flooded his mind.

Mrs. Bates grinned cheekily and pulled him down for another kiss, which took his breath away.

"You're bewitching me again…", John whispered hoarsely against her lips and pressed her body against his.

"You like it when I do that."

John grinned boyishly. She was right. Just as he was about to give into her magic, a soft knock was heard on the door.

"You'll never wake them up like this, silly", a muffled voice was heard through the door, followed by loud banging.

John and his wife chuckled and they smiled at each other.

"Mummy, Papa! Wake up! It's Christmas!" the loud voice of their elder son boomed through the room and with a sigh from Mrs. Bates, the couple let go of each other.

They opened the door to find two little boys in the hallway, grinning at them proudly.

"Did you get dressed all by yourselves?" Mrs. Bates asked and put her hands over her heart at that adorable view. They were wearing the suits which was only meant for church and apparently some of the clothes got mixed up, for the taller boy's trousers were way too short and the sleeves of the white shirt of the smaller one were covering his hands. They had even tried to bind their flies, which ended up into a big red mess of several knots. But the boys were clean – which was a miracle in itself – and had combed the hair back like their father did when he was off to work.

John saw the tears in his wife's eyes before she bent down to give each of her sons a sound kiss. While the younger one wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her back, the older one pretended to only endure her kiss and huffed a complaining 'Maaa' in her direction before wiping the kiss away from his cheek.

"My dear boys! I didn't know my sons were this handsome."

The younger boy giggled happily and reached up to take his mother's hand.

"Come, Mummy. We have a surprise for you!"

He pulled her along with him and John took the second to pat his son's shoulder.

"That was a very nice thing to do, Brendan. You've made your mother very happy."

Brendan grinned and even flushed a little, but quickly cleared his throat and nodded.

"Thanks, father."

He followed his brother into the small dining room and John shook his head. Since a few month his oldest son refused to be hugged or kissed by him. He had said that he was a man now and didn't need those signs of affection anymore. John respected that. And there were still enough occasions on which they cuddled on the couch after John had come home after a long day of work, ending with Brendan falling asleep in his arms.

"Oh, John, you have to see this", his wife called from the other room and John entered the kitchen to find the breakfast table all set. Instead of flowers they had put the pot of parsley from the kitchen window sill in the center of the table.

John smiled as he saw the remains of two broken plates swept into the corner of the room.

"Well done, boys", John praised his sons, whose faces lit up proudly. His younger son came running and John quickly lifted him up in his arms. His knee twitched in complaint, but he ignored it.

"Merry Christmas, Papa", the young boy with sparkling blue eyes – inherited from his grandmother – chirped and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Merry Christmas, Timothy", John replied and hugged his son before he gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Then he put Tim back on his feet and they sat down at the table, while his wife and Brendan went into the kitchen to fry some bacon and boil some eggs.

"I'm sorry about the plates, Mama. I should have watched Timmy more closely", Brendan apologized as he put the bacon into the pan.

"That's all right, Brendan. We all make mistakes. It helps us learn."

Brendan nodded, obviously relieved that she wasn't mad.

His mother bent down and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, dear."

When his father wasn't watching, Brendan enjoyed his mother's kisses and he put an arm around her shoulder and kissed her back.

"You're welcome, Mummy."

Mrs. Bates smiled down at him and stroke his cheek with her thumb before she laughed and turned to finish the breakfast preparations.

When breakfast was done and all four bellies were filled, it was time for the presents. Both of the boys ran into the living room, shouting and laughing in anticipation, leaving their parents behind.

"They grow up so fast. It feels like yesterday as I held Brendan in my arms for the first time."

John smiled and pulled his wife against his side. He gently kissed her forehead.

"I know. Timmy is growing every day. Soon, I won't be able to lift him up, either."

Her arms wrapped around him and she buried her head in his chest.

"I love you so much for giving them to me", she breathed into his shirt.

"I couldn't have done it without you, love", John grinned and added seriously, "I love you to, Anna. You've not only given yourself to me. You've given me a family. You gave my life sense."

"John…", Anna whispered, tears shimmering in her eyes again and her husband lifted her chin up so he could kiss her.

"Egh!"

John and Anna broke apart and looked at down at Brendan, who's face showed clear disgust.

"Could you two please stop with that? We want our presents!"

Anna and John laughed and they followed their son into the living room. There were several presents lying under the big Christmas tree which Lord Grantham had surprised them wih. Everyone of the staff – even Miss O'Brien – and the Crawley familiy had sent over gifts for the boys. Lady Sybill sent a present since their birth as did Anna since the birth of her daughter.

While John and Anna sat down on the couch, the first pieces of wrapping paper were flying through the room, the boys impatient as always. John held his wife close as they both watched the boys squeaked and jumped in ecstasy about their present. Anna grabbed his hand and he looked down on her, pure love and happiness shining in her eyes. He smiled and reached up, cupped her cheek with a hand and gently stroke her cheek with his thumb.
It was days like these that John was overwhelmed with gratefulness that God had blessed him with such a wonderful family. He had stopped torturing himself years ago and had accepted the love of this amazing, strong woman in his arms. She had helped him to endure everything, had taken him by the hand, had pulled him out of his self-pity and had shown him how beautiful love truly was.

"Thank you, Mummy! Thank you, Daddy!" both of the boys suddenly screamed and threw themselves into their parents arms.

John, full of love and gratitude, wrapped his arms around his family, giving everyone a loving kiss, even his eldest, who didn't complain this time. They laughed together before the boys sneaked themselves out of their father's hug to play with their toys.

Mr. Bates pulled his wife close again and kissed her.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Bates", he whispered into her ear and buried his head in her neck, which made her giggle.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Bates."