A/N This one is short, but it was either that or wait who knows how long for another update. Sorry. Thanks to those who have picked this story back up. Special thanks to those who leave a note.

I don't own...

The next day, Anna rushed into the staff lounge just as John was looking at his watch for the fourth time. She was equal parts relieved and dismayed that he was the only one still in the room. On the one hand, she got to see him alone for a minute. On the other hand, she was cutting it so fine that everyone else had already gone to their desks.

She quickly went to the refrigerator and threw her lunch bag inside.

"Everything alright?" John asked, fixing her a cup of tea.

"Yes, just running late is all."

He smirked at her and she added, "And I don't want to hear a thing from you, John Bates. It's your fault."

"Oh? Why is that?" he asked, standing unnecessarily close to her and handing her the tea.

"Because you left my flat so bloody late last night. That's why," she whispered urgently, just in case Daisy or Mrs. Patmore were about.

"I don't remember you complaining last night," he teased, "besides, I had absolutely no trouble getting to work on time."

"Well you wouldn't would you? You're a sodding insomniac!"

"It's not like I didn't warn you."

"Ah ha! There it is. I knew you were going to say 'I told you so.' Just for that, I'm not going to share my pasta salad with you at lunch."

"I didn't say 'I told you so.' I said 'I warned you.' There's a difference." He laughed as Anna swatted at his chest, "Besides, I can't have lunch with you today anyway. I have the Businessmen's Association Christmas Luncheon with Rob."

"Oh," Anna's face fell, "that's disappointing. But at least we have the party tonight."

"Speaking of," John said, his hands roaming to the tie on Anna's coat, "did you wear something fabulous, like you said you would?"

There was fire in his eyes and Anna had about all she could do to muster the will power to swat his hand away, "If you can't have lunch with me, Mr. Bates, then you'll just have to wait til tonight to find out."

"You're a cruel woman, Miss Smith."

"I'm a late woman is what I am. And I don't fancy having to explain to Mary why I wasn't on time."

"Why not? She already knows about us. It's not like you'll have to lie."

"Exactly, she'll already know why I'm late, or she'll imagine something worse, and she'll end up teasing me about it all day."

"I won't keep you then," John apologized, "Only, one thing…"

"Yes?" Anna asked impatiently.

"You have something at the corner of your mouth, just there," John pointed.

Anna's hand flew to the spot but she felt nothing, "I do? What is it?"

"My lips," he whispered, giving her a quick peck.

"Anna?" Mrs. Patmore yelled from the kitchen as the clandestine couple jumped apart, "Mary's called down wondering where you are."

"Tell her I'm on my way, Mrs. Patmore," Anna shouted. She turned to John and added, "You stay here else I'll have no motivation to get up to my office quickly."

"Alright," he laughed, "I'll see you sometime after lunch."

She made her way to the door. Turning and blowing him a kiss, she added, "I'm counting the minutes."

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John sighed and looked over at Robert. His friend and boss seemed to be paying attention to the speaker, at least he was nodding and smiling in all the right places, but John was bored out of his mind. He didn't really know why Rob insisted he attend these things with him. Mary was second in command at the company, not him. If anyone had to be subjected to this nightmare it should be her.

His mind began to wander and he settled into thinking about the gift he had gotten Anna for Christmas. He bought it before they started dating and now he worried that it wasn't romantic enough. But at the same time, he didn't want to give her something too romantic and raise her expectations again. They were in a good place since their talk; the last thing he wanted was to upset the apple cart. On the other hand, what if it was so unromantic that he hurt her feelings? Maybe he should run out tonight and get her something else. But no, there wasn't time for that with the party tonight, and she would ask too many questions if he was late.

He was relieved to be able to focus on something else when his phone buzzed on the table. He scooped it up and smiled when he saw the message was from Anna herself.

How's the Businessmen's Association lunch. :( Sexist name btw. - A

I agree with you btw. He wrote back, At least half the members here are women. We have a female PM and a Queen for god's sake. - J

Very enlightened of you. How's it going? - A

Event… boring. Food... horrible. Company… not you. - J

Poor baby. Bet you wish you had that pasta salad now. - A

It's not the pasta I'm missing, I'd rather have you. - J

That sounds racy via text. - A

You're the racy one. - J

You have no idea … but someday you will. ) - A

"Jesus," John groaned aloud.

"What's that, Bates?" Robert asked turning his attention from the speech to his friend.

"Huh? What?" John blushed, "Oh, nothing, just a text from the office."

"Not bad news I hope?"

"No, not bad. Not bad at all. Quite promising in fact."

Someone from the next table shushed them and John was forced back to listening to the speeches.

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That evening, the holiday party had been both better and worse than John had expected. As far as gifts went, Mrs. Hughes turned out to be his Secret Santa, and she gave him a lovely book called "A Bibliophile's Journal." It had room to list books you had read, write short reviews of them and note when and to whom you had lent them out. He quite liked it.

As for his gift for Mr. Carson, although John couldn't say the older man seemed excited by it, he at least glanced through it and didn't put it immediately to the side as he had last year's sherry. Finally, John had gotten a perverse pleasure in finding out that Moseley pulled Thomas' name, both for the fact that Joseph had been denied a chance to get a gift for Anna, and because it meant Thomas was the recipient of this year's "A donation has been made in your name" certificate.

The hard part was standing here watching Anna dance to almost every song played so. He didn't regret that he wasn't dancing with her exactly. He'd never been much of a dancer, even before his injury; he was far too self conscious. He actually liked staying in his corner, left to his DJ duties and his own devices for the most part. This year, however, his relationship with Anna had progressed and watching her dance, and smile, and laugh was giving him a physical aching throughout his body. He couldn't deny it, he wanted her badly. But it wasn't just a physical want, though he had that too. He wanted her time, her attention, her opinions on things. He loved her. More than he had ever loved anyone in his life. And the thought that he wasn't going to see her for almost two weeks made him regret that they were in a room full of people.

As these thoughts passed through his mind, the current song came to an end and a smiling Anna made her way over to his corner.

"Are you alright over here, Mr. Bates?" she asked.

He returned her smile with one of his own, "Perfectly fine, Miss Smith. You don't have to stop dancing just to check on me."

"Oh, I'm not. I'm knackered, and since I feel like sitting the next few out, who better to sit them out with?"

When she finished speaking, she snatched the Coke out of his hand in the most proprietary way imaginable. She took a long drink, sending a thrill right through him. He loved that she didn't feel the need to ask, as if it were her god given right to share his drink. Good lord. She handed his glass back and it crossed his mind that when he took a sip himself, his lips would be touching the very spot hers had been mere seconds before.

"Are you having a good time?" he asked.

"I am," she replied, pulling her hair up off her neck to cool down. It had the opposite effect on him and he barely heard her when she asked, "Are you?"

He dipped his head toward her in order to speak softly, "I have a good time whenever I'm in a room with you."

Her smile widened at his remark, "Even when I'm on the opposite side?"

"Even then," he agreed, and the look in his eyes had her melting on the spot.

She was well aware that although they were standing in the corner, they were very much still in public. In fact, Thomas and O'Brien were huddled together not far away staring at the two of them, just looking for something to needle them about. She decided to steer the conversation in a safer direction.

"I have a gift for you. Even though I didn't draw your name."

"Do you?"

"Of course, silly beggar. It's up in my office. Should I run and get it?"

"Not now. As it happens, I have a gift for you too. But I don't fancy giving it to you in front of all these people," he cringed at how that sounded, worrying again that he would make her think it was more than it was, so he quickly added, "It's not much but I don't really think everyone else needs to see."

If Anna was bothered by his remark, she didn't show it. She simply asked, "When then?"

John thought for a moment, "How about if I take you out tomorrow night and we can exchange our gifts then?" That would give him one more chance to get her something else if he decided to.

Anna shook her head, "I don't think I should. I'm taking the early train to Yorkshire Thursday and I haven't packed yet."

"We don't have to make it a late night," he felt a bit desperate thinking about losing out on one more opportunity to see her, "In fact, we don't even have to go out. I could bring over some take away and help you pack."

Anna brightened, "Like I did when you went to Scotland!"

"Yes," John enthused, "Like that."

"I should say no," she hesitated, "but it's not my day to be strong."

John grinned like a fool prompting Anna to add, "But you have to promise me that you'll leave before midnight. I might get away with being late to work but I can't afford to miss my train."

"I'll be good," John promised, "Even if it's not my day to be strong."