Author's Note: Thank you all for coming back to read this chapter. It means so much to me. I hope that you enjoy it! :)

The feeling of his wife leaning her head against his shoulder made John smile as he strolled along the promenade with her and he brushed a kiss against her temple when he turned his head in her direction. He knew that she had had rather a rough night. Their baby had been moving around and kicking for most of the night and then it had managed to get its foot stuck in her ribs which had left her in terrible pain. Once she had coaxed their child into moving and freed its foot from her ribs the pain had dissipated, but she'd still been tossing and turning all night and he knew she was exhausted.

Still, she had insisted on joining him and the others at the beach and he had known that attempting to change her mind would have been futile. He had still told her that she needed to take her time, however, hence why the two of them had hung back while Ellen and Alice took the girls to find a spot on the beach. She looked so beautiful in the dress that she and Adelaide had picked out. It was a pale blue dress with chiffon sleeves – a leaving present from Lady Mary – and it clung to the roundness of her stomach, meaning that the proof of their love for one another was much more noticeable.

She had been caressing her bump ever since he had helped her out of the taxi and he had to admit that he was so proud of her for that. More often than not, if she popped into town or something, she would hide her bump underneath one of her coats. It wasn't that she was ashamed of being seen with one – she had no reason to be since she was married – but she had never been fond of people staring at her. She was wearing her bump with pride this morning, however, and he felt happier than he could explain. 'You look so gorgeous.' He mumbled against her forehead before kissing her there.

She tilted her head back on his shoulder with a soft smile, the breeze that came in from the ocean brushing through her hair as she cuddled against him. 'I don't feel it,' She admitted with a giggle. 'I'm beginning to resemble some beached mammal and I can't even walk up the stairs or get dressed without breaking a sweat anymore,' She felt her heart swell when he rolled his eyes at her self-deprecation before she rose onto her tiptoes and gave him a languid kiss on the lips. 'But you're a darling and I can't even begin to tell you just how much I love you for saying that.' They shared a smile.

For the next couple of minutes, the two of them walked in comfortable silence until they reached the stone steps which led down to the beach and caught sight of the others. Ellen and Alice were sat together at the bottom of the steps while Adelaide and Victoria ran around together just feet ahead of them. It didn't take them long to walk down the steps and once they had, Anna sat down beside her sister and gave her a smile before John sat down beside her with a deep sigh. 'The two of them get on so well together,' Alice turned to her sister. 'Addie's just so patient and gentle with Victoria.'

'She has rather a protective side to her,' Anna explained while keeping an eye on her little girl. 'Miss Marigold, one of the children back at Downton, is two and Adelaide never leaves her side when I take her up to Downton to see her and the other children. I don't think I have to be worried about this little one,' She ran a hand over her stomach and felt her heart race when her child kicked in response. 'Adelaide's so excited for it to be born and she's practised taking care of her dolls so that she knows how to help me look after the baby when the time comes.' She and Alice laughed together.

Once the two of them had watched their daughters run around together for a while, Alice shifted closer to her sister on the step. 'I wish you weren't leaving again so soon,' She told her. 'I couldn't sleep last night and I kept thinking about the last time you left when we were kids. You…you don't think it'll be years before we see each other again, do you?'

Anna felt her heart sink as she looked at her sister and took in the expression that was on her face. It was the same one she had worn when she had told her that she was leaving home and on the morning she'd gotten into their uncle's trap. It was heartbreak and uncertainty because she didn't want her to leave and she didn't know if she would see her again.

'No,' She shook her head while wrapping an arm around Alice. 'I'll never leave it that long again, I promise you that.'

Alice breathed a sigh of relief. 'I love you.'

'I love you too,' Anna gave her a gentle squeeze. 'So much.'

'John?' Anna looked up at her husband while walking along the shore with him sometime later.

'Hmm?' He tightened his hold of her hand.

'Would you mind if I invited mum and Alice and Victoria to come and stay with us at Downton sometime?' She asked him. 'It would be a bit of a squeeze, I know, but we could make up a bed on the floor in Addie's room for Victoria and there are two beds in the guest bedroom for mum and Alice. What do you think?' She watched him think for a second.

'When were you thinking?' He asked.

She shrugged. 'Around the holidays, maybe?'

'I think that might be a little too soon, sweetheart,' He admitted after turning his head to meet her gaze. 'You'll still be recovering from the birth around that time and the last thing I want is for you to push yourself and wear yourself out. I think, for the first month at least, it should just be the four of us at home until things have settled somewhat. She might be excited, but Addie's still going to need a little time to adjust and I think she'll find it easier to do that if it's just us.'

She nodded. 'I see what you mean. She's not the only one who's going to need time to adjust either.'

There was no doubt in his mind that she was referring to their little Bella who was waiting for them back at the cottage in Downton. Bella was the kitten that he and Adelaide had bought her for her birthday just a couple of weeks back. She'd been the runt of the litter and Mr. Mason had doubted that she would live, but over time she had gotten stronger and she had thrived. He realised that she was a cat, but her strength and feistiness had reminded him so much of Anna.

His wife had been through so much – more than he cared to remember – but instead of giving in she had fought and in doing so she had grown stronger. She and Bella had both had their troubles, but both of them had fought through them and there had been no doubt in his mind that Bella had been perfect for his wife. He could still remember the look that his wife had given him when he had entered their bedroom with the kitten in his arms and it still made him smile now.

She had been speechless.

He had loved watching her and Bella together over the last couple of weeks. She had been so much calmer since she'd joined them and one of the things he loved the most was walking into the sitting room at night to find her on the settee with Bella sleeping on her bump. He knew that it had broken her heart to leave her behind in order to visit her mother, but Mrs. Hughes had been checking in on her and there was no doubt in his mind that she had been extremely spoiled.

'How do you think she's going to react when she sees the baby?' He chuckled.

She giggled in response. 'I think she'll run a mile, the darling.'

'She'll just have to get used to it,' He released her hand in order to wrap his arm around her and pull her closer to him. 'You're sick to death of hearing me say it now, I know, but I don't think I can wait much longer to hold this little one.'

There was a smile on her lips when she looked up at him. 'Well, you might not have to…'

'What do you mean?' He stopped walking for a moment.

She sighed. 'I've been having practice contractions over the last couple of days.'

'When were you planning on telling me?' He asked.

'When I was certain that you weren't going to go into a blind panic and telephone the doctor whenever I had one,' She teased. 'There's no doubt in my mind, given how protective and excited you've been over the past couple of days, that you would have thought I was in labour if I had told you,' The sound of his chuckle made her heart flutter in her chest. 'It's nothing to shout about for the time being, but I think these practice contractions mean that it's…it's almost time.'

He cupped her face through her hair. 'I can't believe it.'

'I love you…' She wrapped her arms around his waist and stepped closer to him.

'I love you too,' He reassured her. 'Now come here.'

She smirked against his lips and curled her fingers into the back of his coat when he caught her in a long and soft kiss. 'Mummy! Daddy!' The two of them pulled apart at the sound of their little girl's voice after a time and after releasing her husband from her hold, Anna smiled as she watched Adelaide run down the beach towards the two of them. 'Can I paddle in the ocean? Please?' Adelaide asked with hope in her eyes after putting both arms around her mother's waist.

'I don't think that's a good idea, princess, it's not too warm and I don't want you ill.' Anna ran her hand over her hair.

Adelaide's face fell. 'Please? Just for a little while?'

'I think I have a better idea,' John laid his hand on her back which prompted her to turn around and look at him. 'How about we go and get your coat and then mummy and I will take you and Victoria to get some sweeties from the shop?'

Adelaide turned back to her mother with hope in her eyes. 'Can we, mummy, can we?'

'Of course we can,' Anna nodded before laughing when her little girl turned on her heel and began to race back up the beach to where Victoria was sitting with Alice and Ellen. 'If you want me to walk to the sweet shop with you, you can get me some sweets as well.' She told her husband when he put his arm around her and began to lead her up the beach.

'A bag of pear drops and a bottle of lemonade?' He ran his hand along her waist through her coat.

She leaned against him. 'Mmm…you know me so well.'

'That I do, my darling,' He kissed her cheek. 'That I do.'

John ran his fingers through his little girl's red curls and smiled down at her while holding her in his arms as she slept. She had stopped building her sandcastle and come to him not too long ago, complaining that she was beginning to feel tired and so he had drawn her into his lap and let her cuddle against him. He had realised that she had been rather quiet after holding her for a while, however, and when he had looked down at her he had realised that she had nodded off in his arms. The sight had made his heart swell. He adored it when she settled and fell asleep while curled up in his arms.

'She has the right idea.' His wife laughed as she moved closer to him on the step and he couldn't help but smile at her.

Once he had pressed a kiss to the top of their daughter's head, he took one arm from around her and wrapped it around Anna's waist before pulling her closer and running his fingers through her hair when she laid her head on his shoulder. 'If you're getting tired, darling, we can think about heading home. The last thing I want is for you to wear yourself out and end up unwell.' He told her after kissing her on the forehead and looking into her eyes when she looked up at him.

'I'm fine for the time being,' She reassured him with a shake of her head while resting a hand on his chest. 'I just want to sit here with you for a while,' The two of them shared a smile before she settled into his side and brushed a soft kiss against his lips. The feeling of their unborn child moving inside her made her pull back seconds later and she sighed to herself as she smoothed her hand across her ever-growing bump. 'I hope you're prepared to have your arms full soon.'

'I've been prepared for that since the moment I found out that this little one was coming.' John admitted after slipping his arm around her and settling his hand over hers on her stomach. He then laced their fingers and she laid her head on his shoulder before he looked down at Adelaide when she stirred in his arms. To his relief, instead of opening her eyes she brushed her hair out of her face and huffed before snuggling closer to him and drifting back into her deep slumber.

He heard his wife sigh with happiness and watched her reach out to run a hand over their daughter's untameable curls. There weren't enough words to describe the love that he possessed for them both. For them and for the little being that would soon be making its big entrance. Each morning when he woke up beside Anna, he knew that he had all he could ever hope for and each time their little girl ran into their room for her morning cuddle his conviction was strengthened.

He couldn't ask for more.

His life, at long last, was perfect.

It was rather late that evening, once she had gotten Adelaide off to sleep and John had finished packing their suitcases when Anna climbed into bed beside her husband and leaned back against the headboard. There was an all-too-familiar ache in her abdomen and it seemed to be getting stronger as the moments passed. She could tell that it was another one of those tiresome practice contractions – she hadn't had one since breakfast and there were no further signs of labour – but it seemed to be somewhat stronger than prior ones she had had and she hummed as she laid a hand on her stomach.

'Darling?' John frowned with concern as he looked up from the book in his hands. 'What is it?'

She ran her hand back and forth across her stomach and turned her head in his direction when the discomfort started to lessen. 'It's just another one of those practice contractions,' She huffed while shuffling closer to him beneath the quilt. 'It's nothing to fret about, I promise you, it's just that that one was a little more painful than ones I've had in the past.'

He offered her a smile before bookmarking his page, closing his book and placing it on the nightstand in order to open his arms to her. Once she had shuffled into his arms she laid herself down a little and rested her head on his chest. The sound of her contented sigh as the hairs on his chest tickled her face caused him to hold her tighter and kiss her crown. 'I think you were right to tell your mum that you want to take it easier tomorrow,' He murmured into her hair. 'I doubt that the train will get us back to Downton before dinnertime the day after and I want you and Addie to be fully rested.'

She nodded against his chest before sliding an arm over his stomach and tilting her head back so that she could look at him. 'I'm worn out and I'm certain that I'll be paying for it in the morning, but I had a lot of fun this afternoon. Thank you for letting me come to the beach,' She smiled at him when he ran his free hand over her hair and her eyes fell shut when he lowered his head to kiss her. He lingered for a moment-or-so before breaking their kiss and she snuggled into his side before relaxing. 'I think it might be time for both of us to lie down and get some sleep.' She whispered to him.

'I think you might be right,' He agreed. 'If this morning is anything to go off of, Adelaide's going to be waking soon.'

The two of them laughed together before shifting into a more comfortable position to fall asleep in beneath the covers. Since she was so far along in her pregnancy and her stomach had rounded out quite a lot, it was no longer comfortable for Anna to sleep with her head on her husband's chest and so both of them had decided to sleep with him at her back. There was something about having him curled around her with one arm around her middle and one under her head that made her feel so secure. 'I love you.' She heard him sigh as he kissed the back of her neck before snuggling up to her.

'I love you too.' She smiled while reaching out to kill the flame in the oil-lamp and plunging their room into darkness.

Once she had relaxed in his arms again, she let her eyes fall closed and covered his hand with her own on her stomach. Just as she began to drift off, she felt their child kick and her husband's chuckle told her that he had been able to feel it too. 'Goodnight, my loves…' He whispered into the darkness before brushing his thumb tenderly against her stomach.

'Goodnight, John.' She used his hand to pull his arm a little tighter around her before the two of them fell into silence.

For the next couple of minutes, both of them laid together in the dark until – at last – their closeness and the soft sound of one another's breathing lulled them into a peaceful slumber.

Author's Note: Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this chapter. I apologise that there wasn't too much Adelaide in this chapter, but she'll have more of an appearance in the next one. I hope that you liked this chapter and I would be so grateful if, as usual if you have the time, you would leave a review to let me know what you thought of it. Thank you all so much for your continued support and I'll see you soon :)