A/N: Just a little fluffy one-shot to hopefully help me find the motivation to get back into writing for this gorgeous couple. I always wanted to see these two in France together and you can't tell me that His Lordship and Lady Mary didn't pull a few strings to let them have a honeymoon on John's release from prison. Happy reading!

The Seine rippled slowly through the city while the sun continued to rise higher over Paris, the world already wide awake and full of life as motorcars and busses took people to work, tourists snapped their pictures and gulls cried as they soared through the skies. In the hotel near the river though, there was one couple that still had yet to rise. Anna was snoring quietly into the side of her husband's neck, her nose buried there and her fingers curled into the thatch of dark hair on his chest, her thigh hooked over his hip as she was nestled into his side and he had his arms wrapped tight around her.

They had been in Paris almost three days now and were making the most of their long-awaited honeymoon, taking every opportunity to create memories they could take home with them and that they knew would last them a lifetime.

A light breeze floated into the room through the window, flapping the drapes that hung there, and it made its way around the room before ultimately running through her hair and rousing her pleasantly from sleep. Her hand moved down her husband's chest and came to settle at his hip as she slowly woke, her fingers stroking little circles onto his skin as she snuggled further into his embrace. In the silence, she could hear John's deep breathing and it made her smile to know he was so content.

Back home, he tended to be a little more tense – even more so after everything he had been made to endure the past year – but he was just so relaxed here and knowing that he was happy meant she was able to enjoy their trip all the more.

Her eyes fluttered open when his fingers twitched upon her waist and when he pressed a clumsy kiss to her browbone she turned onto her front, taking the time to study his face. He had the most innocent expression when he slumbered, his hair flopped onto his forehead in a delightfully boyish fashion, and she had to admit that it was one of her favourite looks on him. She stroked a loose strand of hair from his forehead in order to stretch up and kiss him there, her heart racing when he stirred at her touch. When she drew back again, her chin settling upon his chest, she breathed a sigh of relief as he settled down again and soon fell back to sleep.

She laid there in silence a little while longer, running the tips of her fingers along his collarbone and allowing her foot to run along his calve, but she soon decided it was time to get up and face the day. Before pulling the covers back she laid a hand on his cheek and ghosted her lips over his, brushing her thumb against the slight stubble she could feel there as she slowly pulled away again. "I love you…" She told him gently before she sat up and climbed out of bed, her arms crossing over her chest on instinct as she shivered while padding across the room. Her nightgown certainly wouldn't do this morning, it was much too cold, so she wandered over to the chest of drawers near the window and went in search of one of her husband's jumpers.

She was always looking for an excuse to steal them from him.

Partly because they were so thick and warm, but mainly because they smelled of him and she had what you might call a slight obsession with burying her nose in them.

She settled on the grey one, one of his newer purchases, and pulled it on over her head. It was miles too big for her – the hem ended at her knees and the sleeves crept down her forearms no matter how high she tried to roll them up – but that was why she loved them. She made her way out of the room once she was certain she would be warm enough and approached the kitchenette to make herself a cup of coffee. She had never been a morning person, rather an odd thing to think about given her occupation, but a strong cup of coffee every morning never failed to do the trick when she was in need of something to get her through the hours.

Putting the kettle to boil, her breath hitched in her throat when she felt a pair of large hands take her by the hips and she smiled when she felt her husband press himself against her back. "You know, you look better in that thing than I could ever hope to?" John's voice was rough with sleep as he murmured those words in her ear, her hand coming up to settle on the back of his neck when he skated his lips across the exposed skin of her shoulder before turning his attention to her neck. She sank back against him as her eyes closed and she focused on the feeling of his lips on her skin, her thumb stroking the baby hairs she found at the nape of his neck before he stopped for a moment and she turned her head his way. There was so much love in his eyes.

She let him turn her to face him once they had looked at each other for a few seconds and her breath began to tremble with anticipation as he trapped her between his body and the counter. "I am so in love with you…" He shook his head, his gaze moving back and forth between hers and her lips for a time before he looked at her again and brought a hand to her cheek. Brushing his thumb against her skin, he studied her features for a moment, but the urge to kiss her soon overwhelmed him and so he grazed his nose against her own, the two of them sharing a smile before they hummed with satisfaction when he captured her lips in the slowest kiss.

It remained chaste for a little while but deepened naturally when she rose onto her tiptoes, looping her arms around his neck in rather a futile attempt to do something about the height issue. She curled her fingers into his hair as his hands explored her back through his jumper, a muffled yelp of surprise escaping her when he took her by the waist again and sat her on the counter without any warning. The kiss broke momentarily and they chuckled gently when their eyes met, but he had her caught in another passionate kiss before long and she wrapped her legs around his waist on instinct. "You're going to make us late to breakfast." She mumbled.

"Ah, breakfast is overrated," He grinned into the kiss, burying his hands in her hair. "We'll do brunch instead."

"And what, Mr. Bates, do you propose we do until then?" She broke the kiss and raised an eyebrow at him.

"What indeed, Mrs. Bates?" He smirked before pressing his lips back to hers, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her back in the direction of their bedroom, her soft giggle filling him with pleasure. "What indeed…?"

A/N: Please review and I'll see you soon!