To Get To You

by zaibi12

Robert Crawley is the CEO of his family hotel; 'Hotel Grantham'. To increase his hotel's popularity, he hires Cora Levinson Bricker, a woman in her mid 40's following her passion in life. What will happen when two married individuals have their lives turned upside down in their midlife? Modern AU Has almost the entire cast! Enjoy!

11. Chapter 11

The eve of Christmas came along faster than anyone expected. Simon sighed as he carefully tried to unlock the front of his house while balancing the huge box of pie in his other hand. He entered his door and immediately sighed at the warmth that enveloped him. He shut the door behind him and the smell of roasted chicken graced his nostrils. He smiled as he walked further into his house.

"There you are!" said Ava as she greeted him from the living room.

Ava was Simon's older sister who resided in Manchester with her husband Brian and two kids Lilly and Peter. Ava and Brian were currently visiting him and Cora for Christmas, as they did so every year. The kids were off to university in Sweden and New York, so they couldn't make it back home to celebrate Christmas. Of all his family, Simon was only close to his sister Ava. She was tough and strong, not sentimental like most women he'd seen. She was extremely practical and that was something Simon admired in her. Which was why he was often off to Manchester, so he could discuss his life and career plans with her and seek her approval. Ava's personality was the polar opposite of her appearance. She was a petite woman with shoulder-length chocolate brown hair. She had round brown eyes and a huge nose. One look at her and one would think she is like every other housewife whose life was surrounded by her husband and kids. But Ava was the youngest Head of Department at the University of Manchester and a double Ph.D. Sure, she had a husband and kids, but they never came between her career. This was hard of course, only the toughest and most determined people would have what it takes to perfectly balance career and family. He did like his niece and nephew, but the more he met them he was glad he didn't have kids of his own. Nuisance, if he was honest. Pure nuisance. Brian, on the other hand, was a dull fellow. He had his showroom of cars in Manchester and mostly stayed out of Ava's nose.

"Where's Cora?" he asked as he kissed his sister's cheek.

"In the kitchen. Brian is also there" replied Ava as she moved to set the dining table for the dinner.

Simon walked to the kitchen and witnessed Cora speedily whipping the bowl of mashed potatoes with Brian standing next to her, telling her the story of that one time he made ten sales one day. A story that both he and Cora had heard at least four times before. He really was dim.

"Cora" he shouted.

Cora looked up at him flustered, having not sensed his arrival.

"Here's the pie." he said as he passed the box to her in the kitchen.

"Thank you!" said Cora, her breath slightly labored from whipping and mashing the potatoes.

"Merry Christmas, Simon" said Brian, who was currently leaning against the shelf with a beer bottle in his hand.

"Brian" he replied nodding at him. Brian raised his bottle to him.

"Where was I?" said Brian looking at Cora.

Cora looked at him and gave him a soft smile "Um, the fourth sale" she replied as she bent down to open the oven to check the chicken.

"Right" replied Brian, as he took another gulp of his drink and continued his story.

Simon chuckled to himself and walked straight to his lounge. He had told Cora a hundred times to not be this nice and approachable to everyone. This is what happened when you allowed people the cross boundaries. He had always been very formal with Brian, even though he was his brother in law. He had nothing interesting to say ever, and Simon didn't have time to waste on his mediocre achievements. He was sure even Ava didn't pay half a mind to what all he babbled in the day. But Cora, oh his barbie doll of a wife. She never learned and now she was stuck listening to his nonsense, and he wasn't going to save her from it. She needed to learn it on her own to not be a pushover.

Simon sat down on his sofa and turned on the television. He didn't enjoy the holidays, but he did enjoy the parties that came after dinner. He was glad of his friends who knew exactly the way he liked to celebrate the holidays. What was the point of just sitting and eating dinner with family? How was it any different than any random weekend? Holidays meant getting out and enjoying it with new people. Cora of course was never a fan of the late parties so they met a middle ground, they had their usual Christmas dinner for her, and then he was off to do his own things. Sometimes, though very rarely Cora accompanied him to his friends' parties, but she struggled to keep up. She didn't like his friends. She said because most of them were half their age and she found it difficult to relate to them. Simon thought it was a pathetic excuse but stopped pestering her long ago. At least he could have his own fun. He loved her, but she could be such a bore at times.

He turned on the television and flipped through the channels mindlessly. He stopped at a channel where he saw a peep of the exterior of Hotel Grantham. He turned on the volume.

"…Hotel Grantham is another hotel situated west of London whose architecture is inspired by Georgian country houses and hotels. Belonging to the Crawley family, Hotel Grantham was founded by…."

Right. Simon had forgotten his meeting with the infamous Crawley family earlier that month. His mind drifted back to the day he visited Cora at her workplace. He had hoped for a grander welcome when he had arrived, after all, he had given his wife to them to help them remain a decent entity and all he received were peculiar stares from the staff and the family. He had immediately recognized the main man, Robert Crawley and he had a hunch that he remembered him as well, even though he declined. Robert Crawley was exactly the kind of man he would have liked in his contact; rich and famous. But he had an inclining that they weren't going to be best of friends. His loss, to be honest. He didn't like him, he just had an off vibe to him and his excitement instantly died down after their first hello's. But Simon was never the kind of a man to waste another minute on a person who wasn't worth his time, so he quickly grabbed Cora and left the glorious building. He didn't, however, appreciate the cold peculiar looks from everyone and made a mental note to visit them again so they understand not to take him lightly. He rolled his eyes and flipped the channel again.

---

Cora untied her apron and took a deep breath. She had been working in the kitchen for the past three hours and had only just finished. It was difficult since she was the only one cooking everything. She grabbed the box of the pie that Simon had brought in and started to open it. Christmas for her had always been a big occasion. Since she was a little girl, her favorite holiday had been Christmas. When she was in America, all her family and friends gathered in her parents' house and made a whole day of it. They were some of the fondest memories of her as a child. She would help cook with her mother on Christmas, especially since she knew that her father enjoyed the pie that she used to make. However, since moving to the UK, things had been different. There were no decorations in the house and only a handful of people to celebrate with. Most of Simon's family didn't care for Christmas or celebrated it independently because traveling on holidays was a nuisance for them. Simon's sister Ava and her family always visited them but that was about it. Their kids used to visit when they were little and Cora enjoyed their company. It was always fun to have children around, but as soon as they went off to college that tradition died as well. Now it was just Ava and Brian who showed up for two hours on Christmas day. No one particularly cared about the food either, it was more about marking their presence and then going off to do their own things. But Christmas for her had always been huge, so she insisted on cooking the food herself, even though no one cared if it was homemade or ordered in. She would however have preferred a little help, but she realized with time that it only annoyed others and added extra delay in making the food, so she gave up. She had spent years making the food herself, even if she only got a nod of appreciation. But it was something she liked to do because for her that was what Christmas was all about. She did miss her family a lot during these holidays. She missed the house full of people, the chaos, the decorations, the laughs, and the Christmas stories but the truth was that she didn't have family here and all her friends were naturally busy with their families on the 25th, so she had to make do with what she had.

Simon's sister Ava had always been extremely formal with her. She didn't know why that was so. Cora had tried to go out of her way many times to be friends with her but Ava wasn't very interested. She wasn't rude or anything, but she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it either. Then there was, Brian. Poor Brian. It seemed like he only ever got a chance to speak on such occasions, which is why he never really stopped talking and told the same stories of his that he had shared with them numerous times. It annoyed her sometimes but she mostly felt sad for him. Ava was always extremely authoritative with him and Simon treated him like he was his peon and Cora felt extremely uncomfortable at the treatment. Even though Simon had told her many times to give Brian the shut up call, but Cora never had the heart to do it. She couldn't be unkind. Especially not to someone who already got such harsh reactions from everyone else around him. So what, if she had to hear the same story seventy times? She could easily filter that out and not make a scene as everyone else did. It wasn't that hard. Maybe if they ever gave him a chance to speak, he wouldn't be this nervous and stick to the three stories everyone knew by heart. Yes, maybe she was too nice, but being nice was always better than being rude.

She unboxed the readymade pie and moved it to a platter. She still preferred making her own but she didn't have the time since she didn't get any help from anyone else so she had given up on making it this year.

She walked up to the dining table where everyone was already seated and had started eating. She placed the pie on the table before taking a seat herself.

"But weren't you due to being promoted?" asked Ava.

Simon cut himself a piece of the roast chicken and nodded "I was but the Dean preferred Thomson"

"I'll put in a word when I get back," said Ava.

Brian gulped his third beer of the night and added "Did I ever tell you all about the time my boss, Rick deprived me of the promotion, back in '96?"

Ava rolled her eyes and gave Brian a death stare "Yes, Brian. We've all heard it" she said harshly.

Cora cringed internally at the tone.

"I have it memorized by now, mate" chuckled Simon.

Brian nodded in a dumb manner and opened another beer bottle.

Cora looked at Brian sadly and made herself a plate. The Christmas dinners at the Bricker's were always similar to these. If she had to describe it in one word, she would use awkward or formal. It didn't feel like a family dinner, and it boggled her mind. Even though she had been a part of this family for nearly two decades. There were no games, no enjoyment, and minimal decoration. After dinner, she knew well enough that everyone would take their leave. Ava and Brian would catch the next flight to Manchester and Simon would go off to celebrate the night with his friends. Usually, Cora visited Phyllis after Simon had left but Phyllis herself went up to Bath to visit her brother this Christmas so she was in for a very slow night.

Merry Christmas, she thought to herself, and once again her mind drifted back to her Christmases spent in America. A moment later, her phone beeped and she picked it up to see what it was.

There was a text from Rosamund and Cora instantly opened it. She had sent a family selfie of the Crawley's that she had taken. Cora smiled looking at her phone. She could spot everyone in the tiny frame trying to crane their heads to make it in the photo. All happy grins in the picture and Cora smiled. This. This was what Christmas was about. How she wished she had a big family as well so she could enjoy it just the same. She sent a quick reply and locked her phone.

She couldn't wait to get back to work.

---

Robert gathered the plates and glasses scattered around the living room and piled them up to take them to the kitchen.

"Papa let me help" said Sybil who was plopped on the sofa comfortably.

"No, it's just a couple of things, I'll take them" he replied and gave a smile to Sybil. Sybil smiled back and relaxed on the sofa again.

Robert moved towards Valarie, who was sitting on one edge of the sofa, looking very intently at her phone.

"Val, are you done?" asked Robert.

Valarie who was still focused on her phone paid no attention to Robert.

"Valarie?" he said again.

"Yes, sorry. What?" she looked up and replied.

"Can I take the glass?" he pointed at the almost empty wine glass next to her.

"Yes, I'm done" she said, as she handed the glass to him. Robert nodded and took the glass from her.

"Robert, which one's better?" Valarie asked as she tilted her phone towards him. She swiped through two pictures of herself from today that looked exactly the same.

Robert squinted for a moment and raised his eyebrows "They're the same" he said.

Sybil, who was sitting next to her, chuckled "I said the same thing"

Robert looked at Sybil and smiled, grateful that his daughters didn't spend hours thinking over the silliest of things.

Valarie, who was dressed in a silk green dress rolled her eyes, "No they are not. I am smiling a little more in the first one, and my leg is out in the second. Look"

She showed the pictures to Robert again and he just shook his head "They're both great" he said as he moved to the kitchen, smiling back to a Sybil who was grinning at him.

It had been a long day at their household but a great one nonetheless. Like every year, they all gathered at Rosamund's house for Christmas. Everyone had arrived around noon and had had a great time together, as they always did. Even though they all worked together, but they rarely found time to spend quality time with one another and Christmas was one holiday where quality time was guaranteed. Mary, Matthew, Edith, Bertie, Sybil, Isobel, and Mama had all turned up on time and they all had spend hours talking, playing charades, and exchanging presents. Everyone had been in a jolly mood and nothing made Robert happier than seeing his family happy. Rosamund had as always, outdone herself in terms of decoration. Her house looked and smelled like a Christmas gift shop. And even though, Robert knew well enough that she was still struggling and hurting because of Marmaduke's death but this was her way to cope with the grief and he let her. It was almost 10 pm and everyone had left beside him, Valarie and Sybil. Sybil intended to stay the night at Rosamund's so she was extremely relaxed outside on the sofa after a heavy dinner, waiting for everyone to leave so she could snuggle with Rosamund on the sofa and fall asleep. Robert had decided to stay back and help Rosamund clean up before leaving, knowing well enough that she would freak out at the mess after everyone had left. It had been a long and exhausting day but had been one of the most enjoyable days for him in a long time. He loved family time, especially when all his daughters were around and he had their undivided attention. He always felt very sad when Christmas ended because he knew he would have to wait a good year before this happened again.

He walked towards the kitchen where Rosamund was arranging the clean plates.

"Thanks for staying back to help" said Rosamund as she saw him enter.

Robert passed her the plates and smirked "If I didn't, I would have to hear about it till next Christmas"

Rosamund chuckled at him "I don't like how much you know me"

"Frankly, neither do I" he winked.

Rosamund's phone beeped and she picked it up to see what it was, while Robert assembled the clean plates to put them in the cabinet. He heard Rosamund giggle behind him.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

She laughed again as she typed something on her phone "Nothing, I was just talking to Cora and she made a joke"

Robert raised his eyebrows. "Oh," he said. This was new. "You guys talk often?" he added.

Rosamund looked at him "Don't be jealous"

Robert felt his ears turn pink, he didn't like being put on the spot like that, even if he would gladly switch places with Rosamund right away. "I am not jealous. I am just asking"

Rosamund smirked and shook her head "I just sent her a family photo and wished her happy Christmas earlier and we started talking"

"Right" nodded Robert.

"Have you wished her?" she asked.

Robert gulped. If he was honest, the thought had been circulating his mind since morning, but he couldn't find a time to think and send a message. Which was silly because how many ways were there to wish someone Merry Christmas? But still, he wanted to do it properly.

"I haven't yet" he replied as he grabbed a few clean glasses to put in the cabinet.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I will in a bit" he replied.

Rosamund waited a few seconds before speaking and Robert could sense a loaded question being thrown his way.

"Everything alright with her?" she asked.

Robert looked at her "What do you mean?"

Rosamund sighed, choosing her words carefully "It's just that the other day when Simon came to the hotel, it was a little awkward with you guys going out, that's all"

Robert sighed internally, he had spent the past month trying to block that memory from his brain.

"No, nothing like that. It was weeks ago, and we've met many times since then. You know, you were there at the meetings"

Rosamund replied leaning against the counter "Of course, as a colleague yes. But you guys didn't plan to go out again, as friends, so I was just curious"

"Don't be too curious, Ros. You know everyone has been busy since then with the New Year's party coming up"

"Right, right" replied Rosamund as she focused back on the plates.

If Robert was honest, he had blocked out that memory with her and had met her completely normally since then. Although Cora had apologized to him the moment she saw him next, but it wasn't her fault at all and he made sure she knew that. Yes, of course, he did feel weird and slightly heartbroken but it was no one's fault and there was no point in whining over it. Her time wasn't just his, as much as he would love to have her all to himself. He had to put out his jealous feelings. They made no sense.

He didn't however make any more plans for dinner with her, not because he didn't want to. God knew he would have loved to, but because they all had been very busy with work for the party and because Robert wasn't ready for another unexpected embarrassing situation like that. They had hung out many times since then, and if anything their friendship only became stronger. Rosamund was unaware because they usually always ended up talking after she or he had visited each other for a query and then sat together talking for hours in their offices, out of everyone's sight. December was always a painfully difficult time for the staff, but her presence made it all a hundred times better.

"What do you think of Simon?" asked Rosamund interrupting his thoughts.

Robert rolled his eyes, facing away from Rosamund "I don't know really" he lied. He had a lot of opinions about him. In short, he was annoyed by him to a large degree, but like all his other irrational feelings, he dismissed it. His behavior and feelings were starting to annoy him as well.

But curiosity got the best of him "What about you?" he asked.

"Well, neither really, but he isn't anything like I expected" she replied.

Robert smiled to himself looking the other way, glad that Rosamund had the same thoughts.

Yes, really. He wasn't anything like they expected.

He quickly took out his phone and typed a message "Merry Christmas, Cora!" hurriedly. There was no point in delaying it, he was just being silly.

"We have a very busy week coming up, Rob" said Rosamund from behind him, washing dishes.

Robert's phone dinged and he hurriedly unlocked it to see the text, his heart beat strangely faster than it was moments ago. It was a reply from Cora, but she had sent a cute gif of a cartoon character blushing and saying 'Merry Christmas'.

He chuckled at the animation and replied to Rosamund "Yes, very busy"

He couldn't wait to get back to work.

---

The next few days at the hotel had been nothing short of chaotic. Robert wasn't sure about the last time he saw a member of the staff simply walk from point A to point B. Everyone seemed to be in a rush, running here and there to somehow finish the never-ending tasks. The date for the New Year's party was near, it was now the 29th of December; the last two days to get everything done before the big event. Over 200 invites had been sent out to some of the most important people in London society, media, and politics. Rosamund and Isobel had made sure not to leave a surface untouched and undecorated, sending bills his way that positively made him dizzy. But he understood that it was important, Hotel Grantham was seeing a new beginning and it was important to showcase their strength through this event. Edith had been sending out posters after posters for the website with the help of Phyllis so that it reached the right audiences. Mary and he had been looking after the accounts, trying to make sense of it so that they didn't go insanely over budget. Even Mama was seen around the place way more than usual. Cora had hired a massive team to cover the whole event. She had quickly changed her mind about simply just using her three interns after seeing the grandeur of the event, which Robert agreed was the right way to go. Cora and her team had shifted to the hotel on the 27th till the first of January since the work didn't allow them to travel back and forth from the city. The menus had been decided by Rosamund with the Head Chef, Mrs Patmore and it sounded incredibly fancy for his liking, but it was extremely important so he stayed out of this conversation gladly, knowing that he had five hundred other things to look after and approve with the other usual hotel work. Bates had been managing the other meetings mostly but even he took out time to make sure everything was in top shape.

The staff had all been functioning on coffees and energy drinks, just hoping to get everything done before the 31st. Robert spied several reporters lining up at the lobby, hoping to get an interview, and as much as they needed the publicity, they simply didn't have time to sit down and give interviews.

Robert currently sat in his office going over the guest lists and the seating arrangement before the staff started putting out the tables. He sighed as he tried to move his neck and quickly decided against it when he felt a pang of pain rise against the action. He had been sitting and working for nearly 18-19 hours every day and his back and neck were screaming in agony at the stiffness. He sighed again and tried to read the list one more time when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in" he said mindlessly.

He looked up to see Cora enter the room and instantly felt the corners of his lips grow wider. Something about her presence always cheered him up.

"Hey, busy?" she asked as she walked towards his desk.

"Busy, but not run-around-the-hotel busy" he replied, chuckling.

Cora smiled and stopped near his table. Her hip leaning against the edge and her left arm holding her weight against the desk's surface.

"It has been pretty busy since the past few days" she added.

Robert smiled back "I am just glad no one has sent in their resignation yet"

Cora chuckled at him "I think everyone understands the importance of this function"

Robert smiled at her and nodded. Cora stood straighter and passed him the papers she had in her hand.

"What's this?" Robert asked as he took the papers from her.

"Rosamund wants me to ask you if this lighting arrangement is fine, hence the reference photos"

Robert looked at the pictures with various styles of massive lights for the hall and the garden and he stared dumbfoundedly at them.

"I..I honestly don't know. Help!" he looked up at Cora with an expression of a child who was asking for help and it made Cora giggle.

Cora walked behind his chair and bent slightly to stare at the photos. Robert got a whiff of her perfume as she leaned over his left shoulder and he immediately felt a hundred times calmer, even if his heartbeat had slightly accelerated.

"Um.." said Cora, biting into her lower lip, her pink stained lip taking a deeper shade by the pressure.

Robert felt himself gulp and moved his gaze back to the pictures in front of him.

"I think this one" she pointed to a photo and Robert simply nodded.

"Alright, this one it is" he said as he moved to hand her the papers back, when his stiff neck reminded him of the pain, shooting a sharp pain up his back. He grimaced momentarily, something that of course, Cora noticed.

"What happened?" she asked as she took the stack of papers from his hand.

"Nothing, just my neck, and back have been acting up since yesterday" he replied massaging his left shoulder slightly to soothe the pain.

Cora looked at him worriedly "Oh, are they tense? They must be because you've been working for an ungodly number of hours now" she asked.

Robert chuckled softly, glad that she cared "As a CEO, I don't have a choice" he replied as he tried to move his neck towards the desk again when another shooting jab attacked his shoulder.

"Ouch" he said closing his eyes. He now felt embarrassed at having such geriatric problems in front of her. He might as well ask her to pass him his zimmer frame. He kept his eyes close when he heard Cora's voice again.

"May I?" she asked.

Robert opened his eyes and looked at her, wondering what she was asking permission for.

Cora put the papers in her hand on the desk and moved behind him, putting the palms of her hands on his shoulders.

When he realized what she was doing he instantly felt shy "Oh, Cora, you don't have to" he said as he tried to move to stop her, regretting it immediately when he felt another jab.

"I think I do before we find you turn to stone here" she replied, chuckling and started massaging his shoulders.

Robert gulped at the contact but immediately sighed when he felt her soothe out his aching muscles that were hard as rocks. Her soft hands softly massaged his shoulders and he closed his eyes marveling at the sweet touch. He craned his neck downwards for ease of access when he felt her put the pads of her thumbs on his neck to apply pressure. Robert's eyes immediately opened and his face started turning red because he was sure that the hair on his neck stood up. He gulped again and closed his eyes. Fifty years he'd been around women but never ever had anyone had such an effect on him. He sighed when he felt her put more pressure, his body enjoying the touch, in ways more than he'd have liked to admit. He gulped again when he felt her hands glide down his shoulders towards his back and he felt her knead in his muscles to relieve the pain. She continued doing that and Robert resisted the urge to let out a soft moan because of how good and relaxing it felt. Cora's hands then moved back up to his shoulders and he sighed. Was he in heaven?

"You have a magical touch, I feel so relaxed," he said, trying to bring his mind to the present.

Cora smiled as she kneaded in his shoulder one last time before letting go, something that his body instantly missed. She moved away and looked at him with a big smile.

"Better?" she asked.

Robert smiled back at her and grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on the back of it. Maybe it was too forward but he couldn't help himself.

"I feel like I just returned from a holiday, thank you" he replied.

He looked at Cora, whose cheeks had turned the color of her pretty pink lips. She smiled and then chuckled.

"Lucky you don't exaggerate" she said with a laugh and moved towards the seat opposite his desk to sit down, as she usually did whenever she visited him.

Robert chuckled back "It's the truth. Thank you!"

Robert waited until Cora settled down on the seat. Once she did, he asked a question.

"So, everything set for the event?" he asked.

Cora sighed and crossed her legs "Almost. The lighting has been discussed, I've rehearsed with the interns and the new staff, memorized the important guests and oh, have set up the photo booth as well. It works perfectly" she replied.

"What would we do without you?" he said, and was graced with another blush from her end.

She shook her head and then raised one of her eyebrows "However.." she said snapping her fingers "I still don't know what to wear"

"What?" Robert sat straighter in the seat "Didn't you bring anything?"

Cora sighed again and shook her head "I did, many dresses but as a newbie I didn't realize the grandiosity of the event, I highly underestimated it" she replied chuckling.

Robert chuckled "Meaning?"

"Meaning that the dresses I have are decent but in no way fit for this event. I saw Rosamund's and Mary's dresses, mine look like potato sacks compared to them"

Robert smiled "Even if you wear a potato sack, I'm sure you'll look stunning," he said.

Cora's gave him a smirk and shook her head "Are you saying that because I just gave you a free massage?" she chuckled.

Robert shook his head "Never. Then what will you do?"

"I'll try to make some time and run to the city to buy a new one, but I don't know if I'll find enough time" she replied.

Robert nodded and looked at his calendar, an idea popping up in his mind.

"I have an idea" he said and Cora looked at him.

"I have a meeting nearby in an hour, it'll take me fourty minutes maximum. There are some amazing shops and brands there, you can shop in the meantime I attend my meeting and then we can be back within an hour and a half" he said.

Cora shook her head "No way, Rosamund will kill me if she knew I went out shopping"

"It won't take long, otherwise going to the city and coming back will never happen with the amount of work on our heads" he replied.

"But.." she said but he cut her off.

"No buts, meet me outside in an hour"

Cora sighed getting up, "Okay, but if your sister or daughter asks me, I'm blaming you" she said smirking.

"Yes ma'am" he replied smiling and putting a hand on his heart as if he's obeying the Queen of England.

Cora chuckled and left his office.

---

Cora tucked her coat tighter in the front as she stood in the reserved section of the hotel's parking, waiting for Robert. Only an hour ago, she had about eight things to sort for the day and she was nervous as to how it would be done. But then she went to Robert's office and instantly felt calmer, even though he was far more stressed and exhausted than her. They started talking, as they always did and now an hour later, she had somehow managed to set everything to the side because he told her to go out with him for her dress. Every ounce of her common sense argued against going out when she had a pile of things to finalize, but for some reason, his tone just convinced her to throw everything away and just….go for it. And it wasn't the first time it had happened, every time she was with Robert, she felt herself being was pulled towards him and for some time, everything felt right in the world and she felt like doing whatever he said or suggested. She knew he felt the same with her and it warmed her heart.

With Robert, everything happened organically. They never had to plan anything, everything just happened. It could be a dinner, a laugh, sharing their sacred memories, extremely personal feelings, or as random as abandoning everything to go buy a dress. She wasn't a spontaneous person, and she knew well enough that neither was Robert, but with each other, they felt themselves entering the territory that was unknown and unexplored. She didn't just have this bond and chemistry with anyone, neither did she ever feel comfortable enough to share everything with anyone. But she did with him. And he did too. Their friendship was strange but felt therapeutic. It healed her and it healed him.

Her mind went back to their interaction in his office earlier. She didn't know what got into her, but when she saw that his neck and back ached, her hands automatically reached for his shoulders. Her face turned pink at the thought of it, but it was almost as if she didn't have control over her actions. She saw him in pain and she just had to help. It was only until she felt his muscles under her grip, that she realized that she was massaging the shoulders of a man she had met not even half a year ago. But that was the thing, she thought, it wasn't just any man, it was Robert. And their relationship was different and not even years of friendships could be compared to it. It was an entirely new category and their instincts felt right.

She felt herself breathing loudly thinking back on how great his muscles felt under her hands. He didn't look like a man who worked out religiously, but his shoulder muscles surprised her. She shook her head, like she did earlier in his office while massaging him, and had stopped when she felt that both of them were getting a little too comfortable. More than the amount that was good for them. But then he grabbed her hand and kissed it, almost as if he didn't have control over his actions either. They both blushed and felt embarrassed.

She knew they were walking on eggshells. And she knew that he knew as well. She could feel him staring at her in her office when they were choosing the light, but she didn't mind. Quite the opposite in fact. And it wasn't the first time she had felt him stare at her. She often found herself staring at him for far longer than appropriate as well. But the thing was, it was natural to feel attracted to someone who understood you, right? That is how the chemistry worked. So she didn't pay much attention to it. They both knew their boundaries and respected each other enough to never attempt to do anything stupid. And neither of them would ever do. They could never jeopardize everything they hold dear for some silly feelings that could potentially ruin their careers and lives.

Yup, everything was alright…and normal. The attraction was normal, it was a friendly attraction. Right? She gulped. She hoped so anyway.

A moment later, she saw a car drive up near her and a chuckle escaped her mouth. It was Robert driving towards her, and what seemed like, wearing a chauffer's hat. He honked coming near her.

"Hop in, Ma'am," he said, rolling down the passenger's side window.

She chuckled again, opening the door "You're crazy, Robert"

He was such a goof, but she loved it.

He grinned like a fool at her and removed his hat.

"Why are you driving?" she asked as she secured her seatbelt.

Robert reversed the car and drove it out the hotel's boundaries "I don't think the poor driver would appreciate our ABBA concert" he said.

Cora raised her eyebrows "Oh, are we listening to ABBA again?" she asked.

Robert chuckled and pressed a button on his phone, and immediately "Angel Eyes" started blasting from the car's speakers.

Cora laughed out loud "Robert, I cannot with you"

Robert laughed and notched up the volume.

---

Around fifteen minutes and seven ABBA songs later, Robert slowed down the car in a small town, with surprisingly lots of famous brands around.

"Here you are" he said pointing to a shop "There's apparently a great variety there" he continued. S

"And that one" he pointed to another one at the end of the lane "That has great options also" he added.

Cora looked at him amused and smiled "You know surprisingly a lot about women's fashion" she said.

Robert smirked "You forget, I live with six women"

Cora chuckled "Yes, of course. Thanks for the tip" she said.

"I'll pick you up in fourty minutes" he added.

"Okay, thanks!" she replied as she got out the car.

Thirty minutes later, Cora found herself feeling as confused and overwhelmed as she felt when she gave her grueling multiple-choice question exam while applying for Oxford. Robert wasn't kidding when he said that these stores had variety. They had too many options and Cora stood theer with four dresses in her hand, trying to figure out which one was the best choice. Sighing for the third time, Cora went back to the rack to look once more if she missed out anything better.

She was never good at shopping. Her dressing sense was decent and people often complimented her on that, but she never enjoyed shopping for them. Too many choices always confused her, and more so now because she knew that she had to look her best, but also get something in which she could easily run around. It was hard to mix glamour but also comfort. Two of the black dresses she picked were very nice but too tight for her to run in, which she knew would be necessary for the evening. The third was comfortable but she wasn't sure if it was glamourous enough for the evening. The last one was both glamorous and loose but Cora didn't like the design much. She flipped through the clothes again when she heard her name being called out from behind.

"Hey" she turned to see Robert standing behind her.

"Oh, you're here already," she said and internally felt like kicking herself for not being able to make a decision.

Robert smiled at her, clearly sensing her confusion "Why do I get the feeling that I just rescued you?"

Cora smiled softly and shook her head "I can't make a decision" she said.

Robert chuckled "Thought so"

He walked nearer her to grab the dresses in her hand.

"This one is nice" he said looking at the first option.

"Yes, but I won't be able to walk much in this. Or sit or do anything" she added, showing him the breadth of the waist.

"Yikes," said Robert "Didn't realize that"

Cora smiled as he looked at the other option "Same problem?" he asked holding out the second dress.

Cora nodded and sighed, feeling like she should just give up and wear her potato sack.

Robert stared at the remaining options and Cora sighed "I think we should just go back, I'll wear what I brought" she said.

Robert looked at her and shook his head "No no, let me help you. I'll take a look as well"

Cora sighed "I've looked everywhere, but go ahead," she said, knowing well enough that he won't find anything there.

Robert walked away to take a look and Cora lazily flipped through the clothes again, giving up on the whole idea. A few minutes later, Robert returned with a dress in hand.

"Found it!" he said.

Cora turned around to see him holding out a long, sleeveless, black sequin dress.

Cora's eyes opened wide, how on earth did she miss this gorgeous glittery black dress? Was she searching in the same shop?

"Robert!" she exclaimed "What, where did you find this?" she said as she moved closer to take a better look.

She touched the fabric, it was perfect.

Robert chuckled "This was hidden behind that rack" he pointed out to the rack that was at the end of one corner of the shop. Cora didn't move further in when she looked around.

"I missed that area, oh wow!" she said, still holding the fabric in her hands "Thank you!" she said, grinning at him.

"This is perfect! I can't believe I've been here thirty minutes and didn't find this, and you found it in three minutes" she added.

Robert smiled at her "Thank my daughters, they told me that area existed when I was out accompanying them shopping"

Cora giggled. He really was such a sweet father, accompanying his daughters for their shopping. Cora's dad used to do that when she was younger and it warmed her heart seeing Robert do the same. Could this man get any better?

Robert smiled at her and added "Go on, try it"

Cora nodded and took the dress from him to go try it out in the changing room.

---

Robert stood outside the changing room, waiting for Cora to try the dress he found for her. When he entered the shop after his meeting, he saw Cora staring at the dresses in her hand as if she was trying to diffuse a bomb and it made him laugh. She was so adorable. He could sense that she needed help, and so she did. He then found a dress for her at the very end of the shop, which he knew Cora could've easily missed. He didn't know that small corner existed until one day Mary told him about it when he was accompanying her shopping. He was glad of the knowledge now because the happiness on Cora's face after seeing the dress made his heart flutter. Knowing that he was the reason for that happiness made him ecstatic. He looked towards the room again, now feeling impatient to see her in the dress that he chose for her. He was so happy that she approved of his choice.

Another minute later, he heard the lock turn from the door and he moved to see her coming out. He was sure it would suit her a lot.

Cora emerged from the room wearing the black sequin dress, that fitted her around the waist and was relatively loose and flowy beneath it. The thin straps rested delicately over her shoulders. Her neckline was a V shape. Robert looked at her, and he was sure that in a minute he would be instructed to pick up his jaw off the floor. She looked like a…he didn't even know the word. Supermodel? Goddess? Straight out of the Vogue cover? He didn't know. He just knew that he couldn't stop staring at her.

"Well?" she asked.

But Robert was too mesmerized to speak yet. She looked absolutely unreal.

"No?" he heard Cora again and shook his head to come back to the present. All of a sudden he felt extremely parched.

He looked at her, looking back at him, a little tensed now. No wonder why! Since he was staring at her as if he'd seen a ghost. He gulped before speaking.

"Cora, wow! You look…you look incredible" he finally said.

Cora sighed in relief and smiled "Are you sure?" she confirmed.

"Absolutely! You look…you look like a goddess" he said, trying hard to stop fangirling out loud at how absolutely breathtaking she looked.

He saw a tinge of pink on Cora's cheeks at the compliment. She smiled at him and did a little twirl for him to see. The back of the dress fitted her just as nicely, and Robert felt himself feeling a little more out of breath at how stunning she looked from the front and back. He shook his head once again. Why was he suddenly feeling like a teenage boy? He was sure that if his teenage version saw her, a living breathing goddess twirl around him, he would faint on the spot.

He smiled, now being completely speechless staring at her.

"This is perfect," she said but Robert didn't hear it properly. He was still staring at her "I'll go change" she added.

Robert nodded dumbly. When she went back inside, he took a deep breath. The things this woman did to him were unreal. He took a deep breath, he couldn't wait to see her wear this at the party.

---

The day of the party finally arrived. The hotel had been in a frenzy since the crack of dawn on the 31st. Everyone seemed to be walking at 2x speed from here to there. Robert had looked around the decorations and arrangements and found himself as giddy as a kid on Christmas. The place looked absolutely stunning. It had to be one of the most beautiful set up he had ever seen. Rosamund and Isobel had outdone themselves this time.

The theme was black and white, therefore all the decorations were the same colors. Round tables were set up in the grand hall, with white sheets for the table, black napkins, and velvet black seat covers for every table. There was a massive bouquet of white roses on each table. The roof was altogether redesigned for the event, looking up you couldn't tell it was the same room. The massive lights hung from the roofs shaped in white branches, mimicking snow, and white globes that lit up the entire room. A massive podium was set up for the speeches, the band and the orchestra sat behind it. The hall was empty towards the front for the dancing post new year. The lights around that area were mesmerizing. The hall next to it had been joined with it because of the number of guests invited. Behind the tables, there was a champagne fountain, which was of course Rosamund's idea. He didn't know how useful that was, but it surely looked grand.

The glass doors opened towards the lawn that was booked only for the guests tonight. Tables of champagne were rolled out to the middle of the lawn and waiters were assigned to their tables. They had made arrangements for their own fireworks, which were supposed to last for fifteen minutes and could apparently be seen from miles far.

Robert walked around the place, which was slowly filling up. He smiled to himself, his father would be proud of him and the family today. They faced many hiccups but they made sure their legacy continued.

Robert wore a very expensive black suit and looked pleased with himself. He nodded at Andy who was filling out champagne glasses. He tidied his suit and walked towards the entrance, where guests had started to arrive. The photographers from Cora's team could be seen on every corner of the room, taking pictures and videos. He still hadn't seen Cora, but he was sure she was around somewhere. It was impossible to find anyone like this, more so because everyone was dressed in monochrome.

He walked up to stand next to Valarie. Valarie wore a white, silk backless dress and embellished it with her best diamonds. She wore very high heels, which almost made her look as tall as Robert.

"Who else is here?" he asked Valarie.

She looked towards him, looking as if she was already bored of the entire event "Um, Tony was here and the people from the Sun Network arrived as well" she said casually.

"Oh, they're here already?" asked Robert.

They were one of the biggest magazines to be covering the event. Robert looked around the room to find them.

"Where did they go?" he asked.

Valarie sighed "I don't know, Robert, I only have two eyes" she added.

Robert sighed and turned in his steps. He knew Valerie didn't feel as proud as everyone else did of their achievements and also didn't realize the importance of this event. She was in a bad mood because a lot of her friends weren't invited, but she knew well enough to not mention it in front of everyone because everyone else realized the importance of the event.

Robert walked a little further and spotted Rosamund talking to Mrs Hughes. He walked towards his sister, who looked like a supermodel. She had her hair tied up in a bun and wore a black dress that trailed behind her. He smiled as he walked towards her.

"Hey, Ros" he yelled. The background music from the orchestra really made it difficult to speak in a normal tone.

Rosamund turned her head and looked at him, smiling.

"Looking nice, Rob!" she said as she scanned him top to bottom.

Robert grinned and put his arms out so she could see him properly "Yeah?" he asked.

"Definitely" she replied.

"Where did the people from the Sun Network go?" he asked as he looked around the hall that had started to fill up.

Having a similar theme was becoming a nuisance in identifying the guests. But it looked stunning, and aesthetic and that was exactly what they were aiming for.

Rosamund looked around the hall "I am not sure, Robert. Who welcomed them?" she asked.

"Valarie did"

"So where did they go?" asked Rosamund.

"She doesn't know" sighed Robert.

Rosamund rolled her eyes "Not surprised"

They looked around the hall, when Robert spotted Mrs Hughes behind him talking to someone from the headset that all the staff was wearing.

"They're near the champagne fountain, sir" said Mrs Hughes.

Robert turned around to look at her "They are?"

"William just informed. Miss Edith saw them and had them seated" she added.

Both Robert and Rosamund sighed, glad that Edith rescued them.

A moment later, Mary walked towards them wearing a white sequin dress. Robert smiled as she walked towards him. All the women in his life surely were incredibly good looking.

"Papa" she said as she moved to kiss him on the cheek.

"Look at you. How beautiful you look!" Robert exclaimed. He loved his daughters so much.

"Do you like it?" asked Mary "Matthew gifted me this dress"

"It's stunning, Mary," said Rosamund.

"Thanks, Aunt Rosamund" replied Mary with a smile.

"Speaking of Matthew, where is he?" asked Robert.

"Oh he's outside on the lawn with Sybil" replied Mary.

Robert nodded and looked at the entrance again and spotted Phyllis standing with Anna, both the woman were dressed smartly in formal black suits, as did everyone else in the staff. He scanned the room again. Where was Cora? The thought of seeing her in that dress again made his heart flutter.

"Papa?" Mary called him out, putting a halt to his search for Cora.

He looked at her "Yeah?"

"Do you have your speech with you? I need to read it once to make sure mine doesn't have any repetitions" she added.

Ah, yes. His speech. The speech that he had written hastily last night and had now forgotten in his office.

"Oh, Mary, I left it in my office" replied Robert.

Mary shook her head "I have mine here but I need to check yours. Does anyone have your copy?" she asked.

"I think Cora does" added Rosamund.

Mary looked at her and she clarified "She needed one to fix the camera position of the relevant people"

Mary nodded at her.

"Where is Cora?" asked Robert. Finally having an excuse to look for her.

"Oh, there she is," said Mary, pointing behind Robert.

Robert's head immediately snapped towards her. He turned around to see Cora wearing that same dress that he had the honor of seeing and choosing two days ago. If he thought she couldn't look any better, he was sorely mistaken. Her hair was neatly curled and fluttering on her shoulders. The remaining half was secured around the back of her head. She wore a red lip with her black dress and a soft shimmer on her eyelids. She looked incredibly stunning. How was she real? He wondered for the hundredth time.

Cora walked towards them and Robert gulped, trying hard to contain his grin.

"Oh wow!" he heard Rosamund gasp behind him. He smiled to himself.

Same, Ros, same. He thought.

Cora walked closer to them and smiled.

"Cora, you look gorgeous," said Mary from his opposite side.

Cora smiled at Mary and nodded "Thank you, Mary. You look stunning yourself"

Mary smiled at her and nodded "Thank you, Cora"

"Love your dress, Cora. It's beautiful" said Rosamund.

Cora looked at Robert from her peripheral view and Robert could swear he saw a smirk there "Thanks, Rosamund. I love it too!" she replied.

Robert felt like doing a jig.

"Cora, do you have Papa's speech with you?" inquired Mary.

Cora chewed her lip "No sorry, I put my copy in Robert's office before the event" she replied.

"Oh shoot. I have to be at the entrance, the Blake's will arrive any minute now" remarked Mary.

"Don't worry, I'll go get it" replied Cora.

Mary looked at her "Are you sure? I would send one of the staff members but I doubt they'll know which one is it"

"Yes, yes don't worry" smiled Cora.

Mary nodded at her and patted her hand before going towards the entrance "You're an angel"

A second later Rosamund's phone rang. She looked at the screen "It's Edith" she said, picked up the call, and walked away.

Finally alone, thought Robert.

He smiled at her and moved a little closer "You look amazing" he said.

Cora smirked at him as if waiting to see when he would lose it and comment "Thank you, so do you!"

Robert smiled at her. He looked at the hall, it seemed to have twice the number of people than there was five minutes ago. He looked at the entrance where he saw Mary pointing to him to come to receive the guests. He sighed, it was showtime.

He looked at Cora again and smiled "Now remember your promise"

Cora smiled "What promise?"

"That you will make sure you have fun tonight as well" he replied.

Cora giggled at him "I promise" she said.

Robert smiled at her and moved his hand to squeeze hers before walking away.

---

Carson looked around the place satisfied. He smiled to himself as he made his way around the room to make sure all the PRIME staff were in positions and were doing their job well. The place looked incredibly grand and he felt proud. He wasn't in the hotel's organization team but he witnessed everyone working incredibly hard post-Christmas and he was glad that everything turned out just the way it was planned. He had started to like everyone at the hotel. They were kind, honest, hard-working people and that was exactly what PRIME needed at this point. The place had almost filled up, he was surprised to see several renowned personalities at the party. He knew some of them were coming but he was surprised to see ministers, news anchors, and magazine owners walking through the door one by one. He hadn't anticipated so many of them. He felt proud that PRIME was able to contribute and serve such great personalities.

He had spent the first hour going through all the checklists with Mr. Bates, who now stood with the band giving them instructions. He then had the honor of chatting with the President, the great Violet Crawley about the video arrangement, who was dressed in a smart black suit herself. He turned his head to see Mr. Crawley, Mrs. Crawley, and Mr. Matthew chatting with the Minister of Health at one end. He could see Mrs. Painswick with Miss Edith talking to the host of the Today show at one table. He scanned the area again, he saw Miss Mary and Miss Sybil with Mr. Pelham at one end. He couldn't see Mrs. Bricker but he knew that she was with Phyllis taking pictures of the VIP guests near the podium.

Everything felt in order and walked from one end to another with a smile on his face. He walked nearer the photo booth which had a line of people outside, waiting for their turns when he saw Mrs. Hughes. His smile grew a little wider as he walked towards her. Like everyone else in the staff, she was also in a black pantsuit and could easily be mistaken to be a part of the family. She looked very smart.

"Hello," he said.

Mrs. Hughes, who was going over a list in her hand, jumped as he arrived.

"Oh, you scared me!" she said.

Carson chuckled to himself "How are you? Didn't see you the whole day today" he said. He missed her. He had spent most of his free time at the hotel with her and missed her sorely when she wasn't around him. He enjoyed her company immensely.

Mrs. Hughes sighed and then smiled "Exhausted. I was out with Mrs. Painswick running errands. It's been a hard day but I am happy that everything is in order"

Carson smiled at her and nodded "After tonight, we can finally put our feet up" he added, his body slightly dancing to the music behind them.

Mrs. Hughes grinned at him and shook her head "You wish, Mr. Carson! Don't forget we have to organize for the New Year's shoot in a few days" she added.

Oh, yes. The shoot. He thought.

Carson shook his head "It completely slipped my mind" he sighed.

"When do you think we will have time to have a homecooked meal?" he wondered out loud.

Mrs. Hughes laughed "Why, don't you like our food here, Mr. Carson?" she teased him.

Carson as used to her teasing by now and smiled "I do, you know that. But I do miss home-cooked meals as well. Something simple and ordinary. The food here is spoiling me to only enjoy fancy food" he added.

Mrs. Hughes nodded at him when her phone beeped. "Mr. Bates is calling me," she said.

Carson nodded as she started to walk away, and then slowed down and turned in her steps. Carson raised his eyebrows.

She walked back towards him with a smirk on her face "Why don't you come to my house tomorrow for dinner. I'll cook" she whispered.

Carson raised his eyebrows and his heartbeat accelerated. Dinner at her house, now that was a fascinating idea.

He smiled at her and nodded "It's a dat- deal!" he quickly corrected himself. He felt himself turning red.

Mrs. Hughess chuckled at the mistake and smiled. She took his hand and squeezed it "It's a date, Mr. Carson" she said and walked away.

He saw her walk away and felt himself struggling to breathe. Did she say it was a date? Was he just asked on a date with Elsie Hughes?

He sighed shakily. It truly was going to be a Happy New Year!

---

Cora lightly tapped the papers in her hand and looked around the room that looked absolutely incredible. She mentally checked off all the things that needed to be done, had been done, and were being done. She took a deep breath, everything was alright. She knew the event was going to be grand but now that she was seeing it in front of her eyes, it was something else entirely. She had never seen so many renowned personalities all together in one room. From politicians, corporate giants, ministers, tv personalities to some relatives of the royal family, this party had everyone. Of course, she went over the list several times before and knew all of them would be attending, but seeing them in flesh was a very different experience. She understood why this was so important to the Crawley family, and if it was important for them, it was important for her. She wanted to do her best and knew that she was but her overly critical self always made her question that.

She smiled thinking about what Robert told her earlier "You promise you will have fun".

She shook her head as she walked outside to the lawn. It was like he could read her like a book. He knew that she would get worried and feel overwhelmed, which is why he made her promise beforehand so she remembered to relax and enjoy herself.

"You've done great work, Cora. Believe that" his words from a few days ago echoed back to her and she nodded to herself. He had trust in her, and she trusted him. So she must trust the fact that she and her team had planned everything immaculately and had done a great job. She was iffy about hiring people she hadn't worked with, but Carson did an excellent job finding and filtering the right people and everything seemed to be going smoothly.

She walked further outside in the garden and spotted one of his photographers Tim.

"Hey, Tim, all good?" she asked.

"Perfect, Ma'am. John is operating the drones there and I've recorded footage of all the decorations here. Sammy is handling the decoration footage inside" he said.

Cora nodded at him "Great work, keep it up" she replied.

Tim smiled at her and walked away.

Cora looked around the garden which was beautifully lit up at every corner. The music from the band could be heard everywhere, and she sang along to the tune of fly me to the moon by Sinatra, when she spotted Sybil giggling near one of the benches with her friend, Tom.

Cora smiled and walked nearer them.

"Hi, Sybil" she said.

Sybil who was sitting with Tom turned her head and smiled at her. She wore a white dress and Cora could swear that if she ever had to describe an angel to someone, she would use her as an example. She was stunning.

Sybil got up from her seat and smiled at her "Hi, Cora" she said as she moved closer to hug her.

Cora hugged her back and smiled.

"You look beautiful, Sybil" she remarked.

Sybil smiled back at her "So do you, Cora. I love your dress!" she replied.

If Cora had a daughter, she hoped that it would be like Sybil. She seemed like the perfect child.

"Cora, you've met my friend Tom"

Cora extended her hand, "Of course I have. How are you, Tom?" she asked.

Tom smiled at Cora and nodded "Very well, thank you! You all have done a great job. Everything looks amazing" remarked Tom.

Cora nodded and smiled "Thank you so much"

Sybil gave her phone to Cora and asked shyly "Would you mind if you take a picture of me and Tom?" she asked.

Cora smiled and nodded.

The two of them giggled and stood together closer and Cora resisted the urge to awe. They really were sweethearts. Cora clicked a couple of pictures of them and smiled. Young love! It was so sweet. Tom seemed like a good boy and she hoped that he wouldn't break Sybil's heart.

Cora gave Sybil her phone back when she heard Valarie's voice from behind her.

"Sybil" she shouted "Come here at once, I've been looking all over for you" shouted Valarie.

Sybil sighed "But Mama, I'm with –"

"No buts! Come here at once" she replied, giving a harsh look to Tom.

Sybil sighed and nodded. She looked at Tom, who gave her an awkward smile.

"Tom, why don't you come with me, I'll get you a glass of champagne," said Cora.

Sybil smiled at Cora and murmured 'thank you' before walking away with her mother.

---

Half an hour later, Cora assembled all of her team to the grand hall where the speeches were about to begin. The speeches this time were simple and short. A thank you to everyone for coming and being loyal to the hotel. Cora pointed to Phyllis who then looked around and communicated the spots to everyone.

First Edith got up the stage. She wore a black dress that had a cut down one leg and she looked gorgeous. Edith stood on the podium and Cora's eyes landed on Robert who sat on the first table. The proud dad's face that he had melted her heart. She knew that this moment meant a lot to him. Edith addressed the success of the past few months for the hotel and mentioned that it was a new beginning for Hotel Grantham. She talked about the ups and downs the hotel faced but that the support of their friends and colleagues meant a lot to them and helped them through these tumulous times. She then announced that Robert would continue with the speeches, followed by Mary.

Carson threw the light on Robert as he got up from his table to a round of applause. Cora found herself cheering for him from the very end. A sense of déjà vu hit her instantly. At the charity event, when she saw Robert walk up the stage, her heart fluttered. Her heart fluttered at his looks, his personality, his charisma. She looked at him again, but this time she felt more than that. Not only just her heart fluttered because of all those things but it also soared. It soared because she knew this incredibly beautiful man who had an equally beautiful heart. He was kind, warm, funny, sweet, empathetic, hardworking and so much more. She felt goosebumps and for some reason felt extremely emotional.

Robert started his speech but she could barely listen. She knew it by heart anyway. But she stared at him and felt proud of his achievements, of his success. She felt proud to know the person that he was and how precious he was. She sighed as she smiled at him. She knew he couldn't see her, and he didn't have to. She just wanted to capture this moment for life. His happiness and success made her incredibly happy. Odd to feel that for someone she only met a couple of months ago, but their relationship had developed faster than lightning. She felt like she knew him. Really knew him and she felt honored. She could see a massive difference in him since the charity event. He looked happier and he was happier. And she knew that she had a part in it and it made her feel overjoyed.

She felt herself tearing up at the rollercoaster of emotions that she felt for him. Feelings that she couldn't explain, neither did she want to. She just wanted to see him happy, and now that he was, her heart couldn't help but feel content, which resulted in her tears of joy. He had had such an incredible impact on her and she was proud that she had the same impact on him. They were two pieces of puzzles, often feeling left out and unfit in the scenario, but together they made sense.

"Robert Crawley, everyone," said Bates from the podium as Robert finished his speech. Another round of applause for him could be heard from each end. Cora clapped for him enthusiastically.

To Robert Crawley, indeed. The man who made her feel human again.

---

"One minute"

Cora heard someone speak from behind her as they all walked out towards the lawn for the countdown. Cora smiled as she walked up to the lawn, where a good two hundred people had gathered. Champagnes were being passed to everyone and Cora quickly grabbed her camera so she could take pictures. Cora had divided the people for each photographer so no one got left out.

Cora had personally taken Violet Crawley, Rosamund, Mary, Matthew, Robert and Valarie.

She made her way through the mass of people, excusing every two seconds to get to her spot. Her eyes scanned the place and she could see grins on grins from one end to another. A beginning of a new year was always a hopeful one. She smiled to herself and said a little prayer, she hoped all good things for herself and her loved ones this coming year.

She quickly reached her spot and smiled as she heard someone yell "10….9….8..."

She chuckled and turned on her camera, positioning it towards Violet Crawley who stood with Sybil, softly smiling at the countdown.

Cora snapped a quick picture between the grandmother and granddaughter and moved it to Rosamund.

"7….6…5"

Rosamund stood with Bertie and Bates, and Cora captured the three grins. She clicked a couple of pictures before moving her frame to Mary who stood next to Matthew. Matthew's hand had circled Mary's waist, as they both held their champagne glasses and looked at the sky.

"3…2…"

She moved her camera to Robert, who stood next to Valarie. He was smiling broadly and was staring at the sky.

Flutters, again. She smiled to herself behind the camera.

"1….Happy New Year" someone shouted.

Robert's face lit up as the fireworks shot up in the sky. She clicked his pictures, smiling to herself. She moved the camera away, to look up at the sky. Massive fireworks now cracked in the sky, lighting up the entire hotel's area. She smiled again, as she heard another one crack. She put the camera in front of her and her camera zoomed in on Carson, who she saw was fondly kissing Mrs Hughes' cheek. Cora grinned wider. This year was truly ending on a great note for everyone. She giggled again, her lens searching for the man who made her year great. She saw Robert again from behind her lens, she put her index finger on top of the button when she saw Valarie move closer to Robert and kiss him on the lips.

Cora found herself taking a sharp breath as if she was about to take a deep dive into the ocean.

Gutted.

She felt gutted. As if someone had slapped her with a sharp blow. As if someone suffocated her with a pillow on her face.

She saw as Valarie kissed him on the lips for a good five seconds before moving away. For some reason, Cora felt frozen. She slowly put her camera aside and regained her breath.

It was ridiculous. It was perfectly normal for a wife to be kissing her husband on New Years'. In fact, it would be odd if they weren't kissing. Right?

Then what was the problem?

Why did she feel like her heart dropped down to her stomach?

She shook her head. It was stupid.

It was stupid of her to feel gutted or jealous over something so normal.

And where on earth did jealously come from? That wasn't even fair or justified?!

She shook her head again when she heard a loud note of the band play behind her. She cringed at the loudness momentarily and tried to smile.

It was all okay.

Everyone around her began to dance. She scanned the area seeing the rest of her team taking pictures. All was good. She needed a minute to scold herself to stop being stupid.

She walked towards Phyllis who was walking towards her. Cora gave her a smile from afar. She picked up the champagne glass placed next to her on the table and took a big gulp.

"Happy New Year" exclaimed Phyllis.

Cora smiled "Happy New Year!" taking in another big sip.

---

Robert brisked walked outside to the garden. It had been nearly half an hour since the new year began. Soon after the countdown, Rosamund dragged him inside and they started dancing to the music. The hall inside slowly filled up as all the guests joined at the dance floor. The night had been excellent. It couldn't have been better. All the important guests arrived, everything went alright, no one vomited after too much drinking – a bit too soon to say that since the real partying had only just started, the food was great, the speeches were highly appreciated. All was well.

After dancing for ten minutes with Rosamund, he tried to move past the crowd to go outside when Edith pulled him back inside so all the daughters could dance with him, to celebrate the end of a successful night. Now, who would say no to that? So he jumped back in. They all popped bottles of champagne and gulped down glass after glass. It wasn't the wisest decision, but they were all too happy and this night was supposed to be celebrated.

This year couldn't have started on a better note and twenty minutes later he crawled out of the mass of people dancing in the hall, in search of the person who made his year great.

Cora. Where was Cora? He looked around the garden, his vision slightly blurry because of the alcohol, but enough for him to see who was who.

He walked further outside when he saw Cora standing with Phyllis near one of the outside tables. He smiled at her and ran towards them.

"Cora!" he yelled from afar.

Both Cora and Phyllis looked at him and he saw Phyllis's smirk as he approached them.

"Hi Robert," said Phyllis.

"Hey" he replied to her, his breath slightly labored from the running.

"Happy New Year," said Phyllis, chuckling.

"Happy New Year to you too! But what are you both doing here?" he asked, looking at Cora who was holding her camera.

Cora looked at him and gave a soft smile "I was just making sure that everyone on the list got photographed"

Robert rolled his eyes "I am sure they have, now you both come on. Enjoy yourselves" he replied excitedly.

Phyllis grinned "That's what I was telling her, but she insisted. Come on, Cora," she said looking at her.

Cora shook her head at Phyllis and passed her the champagne glass that was placed on the table "Okay, you're free, go enjoy" she replied smiling.

Phyllis chuckled and took the glass from her and started to walk inside.

"Robert, can I leave it to you to bring her inside?" shouted Phyllis from afar.

"Yes madam" shouted back Robert.

He heard Phyllis's giggle from afar and looked at Cora with a big smile on his face.

She smiled back at him, but he could feel that something was off.

"You okay?" he asked her.

Cora smiled and nodded "Absolutely"

Robert grinned at her and sighed "Happy New Year"

The off look on Cora's face instantly disappeared upon those words. He heard her take a deep breath and nod "Happy New Year, Robert"

Robert put out his hand and gestured for her to take it. Cora entangled his hand with hers and smiled.

"Come on" he said.

"What?" she replied.

"Enjoyment, remember? You promised me"

Cora chuckled at him "What makes you think I am not enjoying?"

"Well" he chuckled "You are not currently dancing"

Cora giggled at him and nodded.

"Come on, Cora Levinson Bricker, dance with me" he said.

Cora looked at him for a few seconds and smiled. She gulped down her glass in hand and put it away.

"Let's go!" she said as they ran inside the hall holding hands.

---

Three more hours of dancing and drinking obscene amounts of alcohol later, Cora tried to make her way back to her room. Her vision was blurry and her steps were shaky but she somehow managed to walk in a straight line. It was nearly 4 AM.

When she saw Valarie kissed Robert, she felt extremely strange. She couldn't understand her reaction which is why she decided to stay out in the fresh air for a few more minutes to clear her head. She made up an excuse and stood outside for a half-hour before Robert came searching for her. A part of her knew he would come so she wasn't surprised. She knew that he could see that something wasn't right, but she had no right or reason to explain what she felt so she quickly recovered. He then took her hand, said her full name, and asked her to dance and as everything else with Robert was, she threw caution to the wind and ran inside with him. It was the first day of a new year, she wasn't going to spend it overthinking stupid things. They went inside and started to dance. And oh, how they danced. It was as if they would never be able to dance again. And it wasn't just them, it was everyone. Everyone on the dance floor went crazy and didn't stop for a minute. She even saw the great Violet Crawley on the floor at some point, a moment made for the history books. Everyone was very happy at the success of the night and the entire Crawley family and team danced away the night. Luckily, Robert danced with her all night as Valarie apparently had left soon after the countdown to spend the New Year's with her girlfriends. So Cora danced with some of her favorite people in the world and had the best time. Not only did they dance, but they also drank.

Cora wasn't a drinker, she would have her wine occasionally but she never drank loose. But tonight she did, and so did everyone else. She couldn't count the number of glasses she had, but by the looks of her struggling to walk straight, Cora assumed it was too many to openly admit. Cora never enjoyed drinking a lot, which is why whenever she did, it hit her hard. But tonight was an exception, she danced with the Crawley family, and then she danced with her team. Even Carson let loose and fully enjoyed the night. It was amazing. She only hoped that she would remember it all by morning and not throw up on the hotel's extremely expensive carpets.

She made her way inside the elevator and sighed as the doors closed. She moved forward to push the button and closed her eyes as the elevator took her up the floors. The elevator dinged and she walked outside. She walked a few steps in the hall when she realized that she had pressed the button to the seventh floor and not the eighth – which had all their rooms.

She shook her head. She was so used to coming on the seventh floor which was where all their offices were that she completely forgot. And naturally being plastered off her face didn't help either. She turned in her steps to make her way back to the elevator when she realized that she didn't have her bag.

She squinted her eyes to remember where she had left it. Then she remembered that she accidentally left it in Robert's office when she came upstairs to take his speech after Mary asked her to. She chewed her lip. Robert would probably be in bed by now and his office would be locked but it couldn't hurt to take a look so she walked towards it.

She reached his office and was surprised to see the light coming from beneath the door.

Was he here? Did he leave a light on? She wondered.

Cora slowly reached towards the knob and turned it. She peeked her head in to see Robert standing next to his window with a glass of scotch in hand. His jacket was off and he stood there in his dress shirt and loose tie. Cora sighed to herself. Should she disturb him?

He obviously didn't want to be disturbed so she tried to close the door again but her foot came between the frame and she heard herself hiss.

Damnit.

She saw Robert's eyes turn towards the door and a small smile crept on his face.

"Hello," he said in an amused manner.

Cora chuckled to herself and walked in "Guess I'm caught" she replied.

Robert gave her a soft smile but continued to stand next to the window. His back was against the window frame as if his body was exhausted. And no wonder he felt that way with the amount of dancing they did.

"What are you doing here?" he asked softly.

Cora sighed and took a few steps further in the office "That" she pointed at her purse that was placed on the table. "I came to take that. I forgot it here when I came to take your speech" she replied as she walked towards the table to grab it.

Robert nodded as she walked further in to pick up her purse. She grabbed the small bag and looked up at him and smiled.

"What about you? Why are you here?" she asked.

Robert sighed and took a sip from his drink. Why was he drinking? More importantly, how was he still drinking? If she was asked to take another sip of alcohol that night, she would puke her guts out.

"Are you sure you should have that?" she asked.

She looked at him and he gave a sad smile, and looked down in his drink, softly twirling the glass in his hand.

She walked towards him. Something wasn't right.

She walked nearer him and stood opposite, facing him, and gave a smile. She took a deep breath and sighed as the fresh air softly grazed her face through the window.

"Everything okay?" she asked after a few moments.

Robert looked at her for a few seconds and smiled "Yeah" he replied.

Cora waited for him to elaborate "I just get very sad after a big holiday ends" he said.

Cora smiled at him and nodded "Why?"

Robert stood straighter, although struggled to do so because of the intoxication "You know how when you have a lot of fun and then soon after that you feel depressed because it ended and you have to go back to your normal routine? That."

Cora chewed her lower lip and nodded. She understood it.

"So a grander version of how one feels on a Sunday evening" she stated.

Robert chuckled at her "Exactly" as he took another sip from his drink.

"But did you enjoy your evening?" she inquired.

Robert looked at her and nodded "Very much. I am so happy today, Cora" he said.

Cora grinned at that. Seeing him happy made her very happy as well.

"I am glad" she chuckled.

"Did you?" he asked.

Cora raised her eyebrows and shook her head "More than I have in a long time. And so did everyone else on my team. God help the footage that is being taken" she chuckled.

Robert laughed at that and nodded "Fingers crossed"

Robert took another sip and sighed "I am sorry you had to work on a holiday" he said.

Cora shook her head "I'd be feeling depressed if I wasn't working tonight, Robert"

Robert stared at her for a moment "Why?"

Cora sighed and took a deep breath "Because all my family is in America, I get to celebrate holidays here with strangers and that is no fun. I needed to be here tonight" she said, her words slightly slurry for the alcohol.

Robert smiled at her for a while. Cora looked at him and smiled back.

"What?" she asked, as he continued staring at her.

"You don't…you don't think of us as strangers?" he asked shyly, looking down at the liquid in his glass.

Cora felt herself blush "Do you think of me as a stranger?" she questioned back.

Robert looked at her, his blue orbs now many shades darker because of the alcohol. Cora stared back at him and suddenly felt breathless. Why did he look at her like that? It unnerved her.

She sighed shakily waiting for his response. He put his glass aside and took her hand.

Goosebumps. Goosebumps all over.

"You're the opposite of stranger, Cora. I wish I could describe how…..how much you mean to me" he whispered.

Cora gulped down and nodded shakily. Why couldn't she breathe?

She continued to stare at him and he stared back.

There it was, that feeling of risking boundaries again. Cora knew she should leave now but she couldn't stop looking into his eyes. He looked back at her and she could feel him reading her soul and she let him. She let him do that gladly.

She sighed shakily as she felt her knees go weak "I better go" she said, her voice barely audible.

He nodded back at her but none of them made any move to remove their hands from one another.

Go, go go.

Her mind said to her, but her legs didn't dare move. What was happening?

Her vision blurred and she blinked rapidly, not wanting to stop staring at him, looking into his eyes. The eyes that she now knew so well. The eyes that had witnessed her laughing, crying, giggling, sharing secrets. The eyes that had witnessed her break down in his office. The eyes that she knew so well, and which knew her.

"Bye, Cora" finally said Robert.

Cora nodded softly, as if her body had forgotten the ability to move. She saw as Robert tried to move closer to her. He took a step closer and his foot twisted. Cora instantly grabbed his biceps to stop him from falling.

"Woah, easy" she said as he grabbed her waist to stop his fall.

Robert giggled and looked at her, their faces now inches apart.

"Thank you for holding me," he said.

Cora could feel his breathe on her face as he spoke and she felt herself falling down a rabbit hole. She nodded dumbly at him and gulped.

Her hands remained on his biceps as he held her waist on both sides. They locked eyes once again, the bright blue color of both now many shades darker.

"Goodnight" she whispered.

"Good night" he replied, as he moved in further closer to kiss her cheek.

Cora closed her eyes as she felt his breath on her cheek and sighed when she felt his lips on them. She felt a thousand goosebumps all over her body. The tingles all over her body made her want to always stay in this position. She sighed again as she felt him slowly remove his lips from her cheek. His face slowly leveled in front of hers, the tips of her noses almost touching.

With Robert, everything was spontaneous. With him, there were no discussions, no plans. Things just happened.

He looked into her eyes again and she looked back at them. Their breathing loud, each anticipating the other's next move.

She should go.

She reminded herself.

But with Robert, everything happened organically. Almost as if neither of them had any control over their actions.

She felt their bodies move closer together as if they were having an out of body experience.

Cora looked at him one more time, their noses touching each other softly. She could feel his breath on her mouth and it felt delicious.

With Robert, everything happening naturally and so did this.

She closed her eyes, and so did he.

Their mouths collided. His lips covered hers and hers covered his. The kiss was soft but passionate. Oh, so passionate.

Her whole body sighed as if she had just entered a warm bath. His soft lips captured hers so sweetly and so passionately, it was delicious. It was what dreams were made of.

She felt herself sigh in his mouth, the feeling was too wonderful.

You are kissing, Robert.

Oh, god! She was kissing Robert. She was kissing Robert!

Her eyes snapped open and she forced herself to push away.

She kissed Robert.

She looked up at him and couldn't breathe.

She couldn't see the horrified look on her face, but if it was any indication, it must've been exactly like the look of horror on Robert's face.

Robert kissed her.

He couldn't breathe.

It was as if somebody just splashed a bucket of cold water on their faces.

They kissed each other.

She looked up at Robert, who looked as if he'd seen a ghost. What the hell had just happened?

They kissed one another. No one wanted that.

Well, of course, they wanted that but they didn't want it to….happen.

They were doing so well.

Oh god, they kissed each other.

That beautiful, breathtakingly wonderful kiss.

It shouldn't have happened. Oh god, it shouldn't have happened.

What had happened?!

She looked up at him and covered her mouth with her hands "Oh god" she finally said out loud.

She felt her face flushed, a hot wave covering her entire being. She felt nauseous.

Robert covered his face with his hands and rubbed aggressively and tumbled two steps backward.

"Oh, god!" she cried again, before turning in her steps and running out of his office as fast as she could.

---

Hello, everyone! I am back!

Oh ohhhhh, what just happened? YUP. It happened. They FINALLY kissed.

So sorry to everyone who had been expecting this update last week. But as I mentioned, I have a job now so it gets very tricky to write in the weekdays. But here's a 15k long chapter in compensation. It took me a lot of time to write this, and I dedicated my entire weekend to this so please tell me what you all think? Overall, please. Which parts were your favourite? Let me know, so I know that it was worth it.

Please leave a review.

Here's a small gift from me for Christmas and New Years! I'll see you all next year.

Lots of prayers for 2021. Please remember me in your prayers too! Love you all, thanks for the love! Hope you enjoy!