Christmas, 1918
Cora Crawley was up very early. Very early, that the servants were startled to see her as she went downstairs to inform them of her leaving. She was quite eager to be in the train station as early as possible, for she is to meet her husband
Her darling husband, who has finally been found ever since his release from the German prison camp. A general, who is also a close friend of Robert's, informed the family a week earlier that he has been found and will come home in a few days. He was captured by the in the Battle of Cambrai during the Hundred Days Offensive of the Allied Forces against the Germans. Once the Allies gained victory at the battle, Robert and the other prisoners were saved by their brigade, who were in relief that their Colonel, although quite beaten up and starving, is safe
And now, Cora was waiting at the station, waiting for the train that was bringing her husband to finally arrive
Robert Crawley, or Colonel Crawley as he was called in the field, has been longing for this moment as soon as the war was officially over. Like a child seeing his gifts on the Christmas morning, he excitedly hopped on the first train that was arrive at Downton, eager to see again his beautiful wife and three equally beautiful daughters
After being captured by the Germans, the first thoughts that have come to his mind were the four of them, especially his wife, whom he writes to every day. He also remembered the photo of the four of them, which he brought with him in the battlefield. Along with them, there was a memory of his with Cora being pregnant with their fourth child before he left, and although he wasn't expecting it to be a little boy, he was also thinking about their unborn child as he fights in this seemingly never-ending battle. With no other contact from his home for the longest time, he thought nothing but them, as they were his last source of strength while he was at the enemy camp.
And with the help of Allies, Robert and his fellow prisoners were finally released as soon as the Germans were defeated. Like the others, he was malnourished and was quite beaten up, and needed some ample time to recover before he can finally go home
And now, Robert puts his head out the window of his cabin, and saw the sight of the last train station up ahead. He was finally home
The Earl of Grantham finally got out of the train, and looks around to see if anyone was there waiting for him. Although his expectations were quite low as it was very early in the morning, he did a double take when he saw a familiar figure of a woman despite a huffs of smoke around them
"Cora?" he spoke, walking towards the figure "Cora, is that really you?"
And sure enough, as the smoke finally cleared, he finally saw the loving smile he was ever longing to see after all this time
"Hello" Cora smiles, trying her best not to cry as she finally saw her husband
Robert's walk then turns into a sprint and immediately takes her in his arms, lifting her up and spinning her around, making her yelp
"Darling!" she said, now laughing softly. He laughs along and eventually sets her down, still holding her close
"Oh, my love" Robert said, looking at her lovingly, "If this is a dream, then I don't want to wake up"
"This not a dream at all" Cora replied, "You're finally home, and in time for Christmas, too"
He gently brushes a strand of hair away from her face, not taking his eyes off of her "You must have been up before the servants!"
Cora nods in agreement, and chuckles softly "Yes. They were rather surprised to see me"
"How are the girls? Are they alright?"
"They are. And I am sure they're waiting for you to arrive home, as it was their Christmas wish"
"That was also my wish" Robert smiles, "To come back home to all of you for the holidays"
"We do have a surprise for you" Cora smiles back at him as they head to their car, where their chauffer was waiting for them
"A surprise?" Robert chuckles, "I wonder what it is...?"
"Let's get you home first, then you'll see"
Mary, Edith, and Sybil Crawley were all waiting at home under the Christmas tree, all of them up early as soon they learned that their mother left for the station. It only told them one thing: that their father was finally arriving home to them. Matthew Crawley was with them as well, who was also up early and had just arrived from his walks around the estate
With them was their four-year-old brother, Alexander Isidore Crawley. Alex was born on Christmas Day 1914. But unfortunately, his father wasn't there at the time of his birth. Robert was already in France, sent to fight at First Battle of the Marne in September of 1914. But unlike Matthew, Robert never came home ever since, and continuously fought and aided in the battles around the French region until he was captured in the Battle of Cambrai in the 30th of September 1918
"Do you think Papa is really coming home this time?" Edith asks as they help Alex open both his birthday and Christmas presents
"I sure hope so, or else Mama wouldn't leave very early" Mary replied
"Alex and Papa will finally see one another for the first time" Sybil smiles
"And with the war finally over, they'll finally get to spend time with one another" Matthew added and looks over his little cousin, who was now busy entertaining himself with a wooden rocking horse that his grandmother, the Dowager Countess, has given to him for his birthday
And at last, they then all heard a motorcar arriving. Sybil was the first one to rush up and run to the entrance, followed by her older sisters. Alex was curious at first, seeming to wonder why they are so much in a hurry. Matthew notices him, and chuckles softly
"Do you want to come and see who it was, Alex?" he asks, to which the little nodded in reply before taking his hand and catches up to them
"Papa!"
The Crawley sisters shouted in unison as soon as their father got out of their car. Robert almost stumbled down the ground as the girls came running to his arms. He laughs softly and hugs them back
"Hello, my darlings" Robert said, holding all of them close in his arms "My goodness you've all grown beautifully since the last time I saw all of you"
"That was four years ago, Papa. And a lot of time has passed since then" Edith said
"We have a lot of stories to tell you, Papa!" Sybil added, smiling happily "Oh, and your gifts! You have to see the gifts we have for you!"
"We're happy you're back, Papa" Mary then said "We truly are"
Meanwhile, Cora greeted Matthew and Alex, with the little boy immediately running into his mother's arms as soon as he saw her
"Mama! Mama!"
She smiles back happily and lifts her up in his arms "Hello, my darling boy" she said, and showers him with kisses, making both of them laugh happily
"Matthew," Robert then inquired as he congratulated his cousin "Who is that little boy in Cora's arms?"
Matthew then smiles at him, and gently pats his back "That boy...is the future Earl of Grantham"
"What? That can't be!"
Matthew shakes his head, making Robert even more confused than ever "Congratulations, Cousin Robert. You finally have a son"
As his heir presumptive leave him be and joined the sisters back inside the House, Robert slowly walks to his wife and the little boy. Cora then notices him, and sets Alex back down
"Robert," she then smiles happily at him "say hello to your son and heir"
"M-My son?" Robert said, still processing what she said "I -We have a son?"
He cannot believe it. He has a son. The son that both of them have been dreaming of. The son that will be the future Earl of Grantham
Their son
Alex was scared at him, immediately hiding behind her mother and holding on to her dress. Cora chuckles softly, and gently ruffles his son's hair
"It's alright, Alex. That's your Papa" she assured him
"Papa...?" Alex asks, looking at Robert's direction, then up to her
"Yes, Papa's finally home"
"Hello, Alex..." Robert said softly, kneeling down to his height "I am your Papa"
The little boy then beams up happily, and runs to his arms
"Papa!"
Robert hugs Alex close as he finally caught him in his arms, carrying him as well as he stood back up
"My darling boy..." he looks at the child, who bears almost an exact resemblance like him. A little version of himself, with his mother's beautiful blue eyes "My little Viscount"
"Papa!" Alex giggles happily, and hugs his father close again
Cora admired her boys from afar, finally looking at the view she has been dreaming of: her two beloved men in her life, finally seeing one another after the war. She thought it would never happen at all, especially since Robert was declared missing. She thought her hopes were lost. That her little boy will grow up without a father
And yet, here they are. Together at last
"I have a lot of questions to ask" Robert then said to her, snapping her back to reality
She chuckles, and smiles sweetly "Well, we will try our best to answer all of it. But for now, let's get you changed and rest a little before teatime"
"Oh, I won't be needing rest," Robert told her "I'll play with Alex after in the grounds, along with you and the girls if you want to"
"Papa play?" Alex then inquired, looking at his father curiously
"Yes, my darling boy. Papa will play with you every single day starting today, I promise"
"Pwamise?"
"Promise" Robert smiles "But for now, you want to help Papa change?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Well then...let's goooOOOOO!"
Cora laughs softly as the two boys quickly run upstairs to Robert's dressing room, their laughter echoing the walls of the House
And with the war finally over and her family complete and together, she couldn't ask a better way to celebrate the festive season
a/n: this was an anon ask on Tumblr, I can't help but write a one-shot about it! So whoever you are anon, thank you for making me write this a few hours before my first week of classes tomorrow! :)