Can a young love survive decades apart? What will happen when two people, who had been so madly in love, see each other for the first time in 25 years? A story of love, of loss, and second chances.

Derailed Dreams

Yorkshire- 1912

Her fingers lifted the window pane slowly, glancing over behind her to make sure that her parents hadn't heard the slight squeaking sound. She held her breath in that moment, until she was satisfied that they wouldn't be entering her bedroom. Then she hitched up her dress to her hips and swung her leg over the open ledge. Her window was a little high from off the ground, so she had to steady herself to make sure that she didn't fall.

As she eased herself to the ground, she smiled. That had been easy enough. Although, she had been perfecting it over the past month.

Looking back into her window, she double checked that she was not being watched, before turning and heading to the alleyway behind her father's print shop. It was only a block over and an easy spot to meet with him. No one could see them and so they were safe from prying eyes.

Turning the corner, she saw him. Her lips curled up and she rushed toward him, immediately wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I thought…" she nearly cried. He shook his head, bringing his hand up to rest upon her cheek.

"I promised you I would be here, my darling," John said, before giving her a chaste kiss.

"He didn't mean it," Anna then stated. "He just thinks that I am still a little girl," Anna explained. "But I'm not. I'm 19 and I want to be with you, John."

"I want to be with you, too," he promised.

"Then let's run away together," Anna suggested. John's eyes grew. "You have to get away, anyway. My mum, she's going to come after you. She won't listen. She wants to ruin us! And I don't want to be here, please, John," she pleaded.

John's eyes scanned over her face. "When would we leave?"

She let out a relieved sigh and laughed. "In the morning. The first train of the day. I'll go home and pack and meet you there. Then we can go away, get married."

"You'll miss your parents," John worried.

"I don't care," Anna stubbornly replied. "I only want you. We can come back here in a few years, maybe then they'll listen."

"Alright, my darling," John kissed her once more. "If this is what you want."'

"I do! I want to be your wife."

He smiled. "I want that, very much, Anna."

They heard a door slam and they jumped apart.

"You should go home."

"Yes," Anna reluctantly agreed. She wished there was a way they could leave right now, but the station was closed. They would have to wait until the morning. Staying together through the night would only give her parents time to find them out before they could run off.

"I love you," John strongly said, his hand grasping hers.

"I love you, John. I'll see you the moment the sun begins to rise."

Yorkshire- 1937

Only they hadn't seen one another again. As the train pulled into the station, John sighed. It had been twenty-five years since he had stepped foot in Downton. Twenty-five years since he had seen her face.

Even though time had moved forward, he still thought about her often. He wondered why she never had shown up that next morning. He had waited around until the very last moment, having to jump onto the train to avoid the police who were coming after him.

And now, he was back. His eyes looked out of the window of the train to the packed travelers outside. He felt twenty-three again, hoping to see her. Although, he was sure she never thought of him, not anymore.

A flash of blonde hair caught his eye and he quickly narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better view. Was it her? Or was his mind playing tricks on him? He couldn't be certain either way, because whoever it had been was already gone.

He touched his pocket, before reaching inside and grabbing the crinkled photo paper out of it. It was worn from years of touch and being placed into pockets and folders. But it was still her, the one picture he had of Anna. She had slipped it to him one evening, as the two of them had laid under the stars.

"Here," she had whispered. "I want you to have this. Don't lose it, Mr. Bates."

He never had. Of all his possessions, this was the one he took the utmost care of. It was the most important to him. At times, it had been a thorn in his side. It was a harsh reminder that she had never shown up to meet him that day, a reminder that she didn't love him. But most of the time, it was a reminder of what they had. They had only known each other for a very short time, and yet, those days had been the best days of his life.

John unloaded his luggage. The passengers were in a hurry, pushing him when he didn't move quickly enough. He twisted his lips unhappily. Ever since the war, he hadn't been able to get around as quickly. Now he had to depend on a cane to keep him upright, to help him with his limp.

He finally stepped down and onto the platform, moving to the side. Again, his eyes searched for her. It was a habit he would never be able to break. He had always searched for her everywhere, even when he was in the battlefield. But now, that he was back, he knew he would be searching even more. Yet, he now knew where she was.

Knowing this, he headed right to the print shop. It was still there, just the same as it had always been. He stood over a block away wondering if he should move forward, see if she was inside. She had been trained her entire life to take over the family business, even though she hadn't wanted it.

He stepped forward, knowing that if he didn't do this now, he would avoid it in the future. The problem was that Downton was a small town and the odds were that they would run into one another eventually. It was best he got this over with now, confronted her for not showing up, instead of randomly seeing her elsewhere. This way he could control their first meeting.

Taking in a deep breath, he opened the door.

To be continued...

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