A/N This chapter was a lot of fun to write, especially the end. Wonder where my inspiration came from. This chapter and the next may end up being a little choppy, but I need to cover a lot of ground in not much time in order to not draw things out too long. This is already chapter 52 after all.
I don't own….
John let Anna sleep in the next morning and when she came downstairs she found him reading a script at the table while sipping his cup of coffee. He was already dressed in jeans and a casual shirt.
"I've got the kettle hot. Fancy a cuppa?" He smiled, starting to rise.
Anna motioned for him to stay seated, "I'll get it. Where's Angus?"
"In the back. I think he was a little surprised that I came and got him from your room this morning. You don't mind do you? I hope I wasn't intruding."
Anna brought out the teapot and sat in her usual spot, "No, you weren't intruding. We said we wanted to try to get back to normal." She sipped her tea, "What are you reading?"
"Trying to memorize my lines for the next 'Highclere'. I figure since I'm the one making everyone rearrange the filming schedule I better at least show up prepared." He flipped the script closed, "I didn't know what time you'd wake up so I haven't started breakfast yet. What would you like?"
Anna reached across the table to open the script back up, "You keep studying. I'll cook this morning. You've been doing all the work this weekend."
He smiled again, "As it should be, but alright."
As Anna pulled her hand back across the table she noticed that the credit card and key were no longer there. For a moment her heart seized up thinking that John had taken them back and wondering what that could mean. John noticed her discomfort and said, "I put them in a drawer in your desk up in the office. I know you don't want them yet, but they'll be waiting for you whenever you're ready."
Anna hesitated, then said, "I appreciate the space you're giving me, John. I know things can't be going as quickly as you'd like them to."
"Not as quickly as I'd like, but better than I'd hoped maybe. At any rate, you won't hear me complain." He jokingly changed the subject, "Now, what about that breakfast, Miss Smith?"
When breakfast was finished the two of them made their way into the kitchen and began the washing up. It wasn't lost on either one of them that they easily fell back into their old rhythms and patterns, moving in complete harmony with one another.
As he was putting away the last dish John said, "Not that I didn't miss you every minute of every day, but I think it was the little ordinary things I missed the most. The things like doing the dishes together or watching a movie. Funny isn't it?"
"I feel the same way," Anna grinned, "I can't tell you how many times I left class or the library and spent the first few moments looking around for you and the dogs to walk me home."
"I'm sorry, Anna." A shadow of sadness and guilt crossed John's face.
"John," Anna drew close to him and placed her hand on his arm, "you can't keep apologizing for every little thing. What's done is done. You've told me you're determined to change and I believe you, else we wouldn't be standing here right now, but you living in a constant state of guilt and regret is no more healthy than expecting me to be perfect."
John looked at her and simply shook his head, "Thank you, Anna. That's very kind."
Anna turned and looked out the kitchen window, "It doesn't look too pleasant out there. Should we take Angus to the beach before we lose the chance altogether?"
"Sure, you put on your coat and I'll bring Angus."
As they walked, Anna slipped her arm through John's and she briefly rested her head on his shoulder. John didn't say anything, but he couldn't help a large smile spreading across his face.
When they got to the beach, John began throwing the ball for Angus. As Anna watched him, it struck her how handsome he looked. His hair was wind blown, causing the unruly lock to fall across his forehead just the way she liked it and as he rejoined her on their bench his smile made his eyes crinkle at the corners and the irises sparkle. He looked happy and Anna was surprised to find that she felt that way too.
John noticed her smiling and as Angus bounded up and placed his wet paws in her lap she began to laugh. John flopped down at her side and automatically reached to brush the hair from her eyes. As his hand made contact with her cheek he stopped, frozen by the electricity he felt flowing through him. His touch softened as he carressed her. "My god, you're beautiful, Anna."
"You look rather ruggedly handsome yourself," Anna teased, "Not that I'd expect anything less from John 'Fricken' Bates."
John's smile deepened, "Wow, there's a name I haven't heard in awhile," he gathered his courage and continued, "You seem to be going out of your way to be nice to me." He felt awkward and shy as he said it.
"I told you I didn't intend to punish you. The decision's been made and we want to stay together if we can, so why shouldn't we be nice to each other? I love you, I don't want to make you suffer, John."
An overwhelming feeling of love for this woman flowed through every part of John's being. "I know you're not perfect, Anna, and I promise you don't have to be...but Christ your close! Is that an alright thing to say?"
Anna found his look and his concern adorable, "Yes, it's fine," she chuckled.
"I thought maybe we could try going out on a date tonight," John said, "what do you think? We could go to the restaurant we went to on our anniversary, or we try somewhere new? Whatever you want."
"Sure," Anna smiled again, "let's do something fun. Why don't we drive up the coast a little ways and see what we find? It could be an adventure."
"That sounds perfect." When John realized what he said he spoke again, "No, not perfect!" A mock look of horror crossed his face, "but good, really good!"
Anna laughed and shook her head, "C'mon you...I have homework and you should be studying your script."
The afternoon passed quietly with the two of them working together at the dining table. Anna had to remind John from time to time that he was supposed to be studying his script and not her, but he threw her comments aside by reminding her that he had several months to make up for. As the afternoon progressed the weather got steadily worse until it was absolutely horrible. The wind was howling and the rain was clattering against the windows so loudly that Anna and John actually had to make a conscious effort to be heard over the sound. John was beginning to be less and less excited by the prospect of going out for a dinner and a drive, but he would be damned if he was going to break a promise to Anna so early in the game.
He closed his script and sighed, "I suppose we should get ready to go on our date."
Anna couldn't help but glance out at the weather. It was so cozy here inside, with the fire and the dog, but she didn't want to disappoint John or make him think she didn't want to go out with him. The opposite was true, in this moment she was more happy and content than she had been in ages.
"John," she spoke tentatively, "would you be too disappointed if we just stayed in and watched a movie? I mean, I'll go if you have your heart set on it but the weather is just so awful, I don't really fancy getting kitted up enough for anything other than the pub."
The pub was the last place John wanted to go tonight, knowing that he and Anna would have absolutely no privacy there, but if that's what she wanted, "So you want to go to the pub then?" He had to admit that he didn't sound very enthusiastic even to his own ears.
"No," Anna hesitated, "what I'd actually like to do is change into my sweats and just watch a movie together. Either have pasta or take out. Just like old times. It's just that everything is so cozy and calm right now, I hate the thought of going anywhere really. Are you too disappointed?"
"Not at all!" John smiled broadly, "I was just thinking the very same thing, but I didn't want to disappoint you either. I'd promised to take you to dinner."
"No, you promised to take me on a date. We can do that right here. In fact, we used to do it all the time."
"I tell you what," John stood from his place at the table full of determination, "I'll go down to the pub and get some takeaway. I'll take Angus with me and then we won't have to take him for his walk later. You can stay here all nice and cozy."
"But John, the weather. How will you make it with Angus, the food, and an umbrella? It seems a lot."
"Don't worry, I can manage," It came out sounding more harsh than John had meant it to, but he wanted to show Anna that he was willing to take the inconvenience on himself so that she could stay warm and dry.
"I know you can, but why don't we just have something delivered?"
"Ach," John sounded just like his mother and Anna couldn't help but smile, "then Angus won't get his walk and besides, its not the delivery boys fault its raining. I'd hate to make him go out on a night like this."
Anna looked skeptical but said, "Alright, if you're sure…"
"Positive," John shook his head, "I'll just get my coat. Will you hook up Angus?"
Once the dog was ready, Anna joined John at the door. She handed him Angus' lead and then reached up and pulled John's coat more tightly around his neck. "Try to stay dry. Your boss won't thank me if you come back to the the set with a terrible cold."
John smiled, enjoying the closeness between them at the moment, even if he was bundled up, "You get comfy and choose the movie. I'll be back in a flash."
Anna opened the door for him but then shut it immediately behind him. She wasn't going to punish John but he seemed to be set on punishing himself. She would have to see what she could do about that.
When John returned he found Anna curled up on the couch with a cup of tea in her hands. He stepped inside and immediately shed his coat. Anna sat up and leaned forward, trying desperately to stifle the laugh that burst from her throat. John was soaked despite his heavy coat. His jeans were plastered to his legs and his hair drenched. She approached them just in time to receive the brunt of Angus' good long shake.
"Aaaah," she screamed and tried to block the shower with her hands, "Angus stop!"
Both she and John were laughing now and she spoke between gasps, "So you can manage hey?" her face full of mischief.
"Well, maybe not as well as I had hoped," John grinned and shook his own head, trying to get Anna with his own shake.
She ran to the other side of the room. "I'll go get some towels. You two stay right there."
When she returned from the laundry room there was no sign of John or the dog, "John?"
"In the kitchen. I figured we could drip on the linoleum instead of the rug."
"Good idea," she was laughing as she entered the kitchen. "Oh!" she said in surprise as she saw that John had stripped off his shirt and laid it on the counter.
"Here, throw me those towels and I'll see to Angus." Anna couldn't believe how calmly John was speaking as she wasn't feeling very calm at all.
"No, I'll get Angus sorted," she threw a towel at John and bent to the dog refusing to continue to look at John's half naked body, "you'd better go upstairs and change into some dry clothes."
"Yeah," John looked down at himself and grinned. He wrapped the towel around his torso, "I guess I'd better. Be back in a jiff."
When he returned downstairs he was wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and a v-neck t-shirt. There was nothing suggestive about his attire but Anna found him devastatingly handsome and her reaction bothered her. She refused to stop being completely angry so quickly.
"Have you chosen what to watch?" John asked as he sat in his usual spot on the couch and took a sip of the tea Anna had prepared exactly to his liking. He popped a cold and soggy chip into his mouth, "Hmm, not sure how well this meal traveled. Maybe we should have just made the pasta after all."
Anna rose from the couch and went to the DVR. "I decided I'd like to watch one of your videos."
"An action film?" John was shocked.
"No, silly," Anna had a devilish twinkle in her eye, "not one of the movies you own, something you were in!"
"Oh Anna," John groaned, "you can't be serious."
"I'm perfectly serious, Mr. Bates!"
John chuckled, "You're testing my resolve, aren't you?" She looked adorable as she waved the video case around in her hand, "Alright, what have you chosen?"
Anna looked at him and grinned, "The Ice Princess."
John's shoulders slumped, "Oh Anna, no!" he begged, "anything but that."
She sauntered over to him swaying her hips wildly, "You said I could choose. Are you going back on your word, Mr. Bates?"
John shook his head, "I thought you said you weren't going to punish me?"
"Well, maybe...just a little." She laughed and went on, "besides, it's not that bad."
"It's horrible," he moaned.
"Well I think you're quite good in it." She turned and made her way back to the telly. She looked over her shoulder at him and said, "even if no one else is."
She returned to the couch and each of them ate a bit of their rather limp supper but it didn't take long before Anna leaned back into John's body and allowed him to put his arm around her.
"I can't believe you want to watch this," he tried one more time, "no one wants to watch this."
"Oh you'd be surprised," Anna was clearly enjoying herself, "it has quite the cult following among your female fans, myself included."
"I can't imagine why. The plot is ridiculous, and slightly creepy if you ask me. He meets her as a child and they end up married? Ugh."
"I agree, but you look awfully hot in it. Whatever happened to that hair?" she was clearly making fun of him now, "and those eyelashes! Just look at those eyelashes."
"This is a three part series, you know. We don't have to watch all three parts do we?"
"I'm well aware of how long this movie is," she said, turning and snuggling into his embrace, "and yes, yes we do."
John chuckled and kissed the top of her head playfully, "You're evil. You know that don't you?"
"Another fact of which I'm well aware. Now hush. I'm trying to hear the dialogue."
