I just wanted to establish that Anna and Bates are already married. They are just moving into the matrimonial home now! Just to make things easier, as I haven't included their wedding or anything like that. It's a short chapter but bare with, more is on the way!
Chapter Text
Anna had been distracted, she and Mr. Bates had just moved into their matrimonial home. Her mind had been consumed by cleaning and making the place feel like home. She hadn't been around very much, and Miss O'Brien took over her duties. Her first day back to her full duties, Anna had gotten worried later on in the afternoon when Thomas hadn't reached out for food. Just encase he might be hungry, she brought him some vegetable soup and a few crusty rolls. She took a tray up to his room, accompanied by Carson who kept watch as she entered the men's corridor. When Thomas didn't respond to her knocking, she'd hoped that he was just asleep, trying to work off whatever it was that had stricken him so suddenly. She left the tray outside the door and went back to her duties.
"I'm worried about him." Anna confided in her partner.
"As much as it pains me to admit it, I am as well." He couldn't help but feel that his actions today were the result of something that he'd missed a few nights before.
"Oh?" Anna replied, eyebrows raised.
"I didn't think it was important at the time, but nights ago, I saw a man…he must have been leaving the men's corridor." He paused, trying to place the details together, "Not moments before, I'd heard a loud thump on the wall. When asked what was the matter, Thomas seemed off."
"I would hate to raise speculation, but I'm sure I know the identity of the mystery man." She told her husband anxiously.
"Do tell."
"Well, if I'm right, it might be a giveaway as to who the father is you see...Lady Mary knows, and Master Crawley found out only that very morning. When I told Thomas what had happened, he began to panic, experiencing the same pain as before."
Bates sighed, he seemed underwhelmed and unsurprised. "Sounds like you're right to assume. I can only wonder what had happened between them, should that really be true. You don't think His Lordship knows, which is why he's been so lenient on Thomas?"
"Regardless of motive, I'm just glad that he's got somewhere to stay." Anna shrugged off the suspicion. All that mattered was that Thomas wasn't on the streets or staying in a dirty hovel. Somewhere warm, surrounded by at least one person who cared was particularly important. "I'll check on him again after dinner, maybe I can get him to talk."
"I don't know what he has done to deserve your friendship." Bates sighed. Anna's primary flaw was being too kind. Although, that was probably the thing he loved about her the most. Defending him, staying by his side from the very beginning.
"Shush you. It doesn't cost anything to be nice." She smiled cheekily clicking her heels as she went.
The second time she delivered Thomas a meal, Mr. Carson left her to her own devices. Being far too busy to babysit, he trusted her to fetch him once she'd finished. Perhaps he too cared somewhat about Thomas, not having seen him all day. He wouldn't so much as pass on the message but would give Anna whatever time she needed to get the job done.
This time she took him a few slices of roast chicken and potatoes, with carrots and broccoli. She also had with her a piece of bread and butter pudding, one of the man's favorites. She looked with concern at the tray left at the door, its contents largely untouched. All that was missing was an apple and a single breast roll. Nudging it aside to make room in the doorway should she be turned away again.
"Thomas, it's me, Anna. I've brought you Sunday lunch." She knocked with her heel as her hands were full. "I saved you some of the best trimmings, even some gravy." She enticed.
"You didn't have to. I'd have come to dinner if I was hungry."
"Something tells me that isn't quite true." She replied, "whatever it is, I'm here if you need a word. Nothing goes away on its own you know?"
Thomas reluctantly opened his door far enough to poke his head through, "Don't worry about me. See I'm fine." He gave her a fake toothy smile before closing the door. She had wedged the tip of her shoe in the small space to prevent Thomas from shutting her out. "I told you-"
"Your eyes are all red, and your skin is pale." She noted, "the baby has to eat." The guiltiest card that she could play.
"A few days isn't going to hurt." He snapped back.
"You've left me with very little choice," she announced before breaking her way in. Thomas had been too sleep-deprived and hungry to use any force. Astonishingly, she made her way past the threshold with not a thing lost or dropped. She placed the tray on Thomas' dressing table, "I'll have to stay and watch you finish your tea."
"I'm not hungry." It was an insanely obvious lie. His appetite was huge this far into his pregnancy, and his stomach had been gargling for hours.
"Do I have to feed you myself?" She threatened. "Either that or you can tell me what's really going on?" she prompted with an ultimatum. "I can see that you're upset. Ever since that park bench-" She trailed off, not sure if it would overstep the boundaries by stating what was on her mind.
"You win. I'Il eat. Does that make you feel better?" Thomas asked stabbing a gravy-soaked roast potato with his fork. He longed for food, but he would let his own personal pleasure detract from the point he was trying to make.
His avoidance spoke volumes, "You don't have to say a word, I know this has something to do with Master Crawley." She finished. She braced for impact as Thomas' fists clenched and when the fork hit the tray the clank made her jump. Despite his condition, she was still perhaps a little afraid.
Instead of flipping the table and going on a rampage like he felt was bubbling up. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. One thing that he'd learned over the last few days was that stress came with agonising consequence. "What Mr. Bates heard was-" He began, breath shaking with fermenting rage.
When Thomas hadn't exploded, Anna felt confident to dig a little further, "Thomas, did He hurt you, is that what Mr. Bates beard?" Thomas' reaction had been enough to confirm her suspicions.
"I don't want to-" Thomas broke down. This had been the second time in her entire time of knowing this man, that she'd seen him cry, only a few days apart.
"It was my fault. If I hadn't had pushed Lady Mary-" She stuttered, she too beginning to well with sadness. "Maybe this wouldn't have happened." Riddled with guilt, her lips quivered.
"No. It's not you, it's me!" Thomas snapped, angrily pointing at himself with self-loathing. He couldn't bare Anna blaming herself for his own failings for she was the most compassionate to grace this earth. "Whenever he walks through that door…" He breathed shakily, "I'm weak, I'm not strong enough to fight back." His voice broke amidst the tears. Ordinarily, his scrappy nature meant that he took no harassment, not from anyone, it meant if the situation arose he would fight his way out. Why he was so defenseless was beyond him, but he could hardly blame it on his pregnancy.
"You shouldn't have to fight at all. Thomas, he's an evil man and must be stopped." If not to stop the violence but to protect those around him like Lady Mary who didn't deserve to find out Matthew's true nature the way Thomas had.
"There's nothing I can do. Not without everybody finding out. I'll be on the street before the night's over." Service workers are easily replaced, and to avoid a scandal at Downton, Thomas would be paid off and sent on the next train going anywhere. The sweet deal he'd been given could be revoked without warning.
"We have to talk to Lady Mary." Anna protested. "For her welfare."
"The family needs him or they'll lose Downton." Essentially, the fate of Downton rested in his hands. Should Lady Mary divorce Matthew, there would be little doubt that the family would be sequestered off of the estate. Lady Mary needed to stay married and produce an heir for the sake of the entire village. It would be selfish to threaten the status quo. "You need to promise me that it stays between us."
She had been caught between too hard places; protecting Lady Mary or protecting Thomas and his unborn child. Thomas' desperate eyes incidentally solved her conundrum, "maybe you're right?" she sighed. Ultimately after tonight, she would be keeping a closer eye on the blooming Crawley marriage for any signs of change. "I'll drop this for now, but with the promise that you'll let me know if he touches you again?" Thomas was too emotional to respond, instead, Anna lightened the mood a little, "please eat. You don't know how many hands I had to swat away to save you that grub."
"I'm sorry that you've been put in the middle of this mess."
"Never you mind." She smiled, trying to reassure her newfound friend.