Kandahar, Present Day

Anna lifted the flap of the tent and ducked under to see John putting the last of his things into their respective cases. "You do impress me."

"Because I can pack at the last minute?"

"Because you're not just throwing things into a bag and praying the zipper works." Anna pointed at his neat cases. "That's expert care there."

"I'm an expert packer." He closed the last thing and took a turn around the sparse tent. "It's almost surreal."

"Which part?" Anna sat on the cot and waved her hand at the tent. "The barrenness of this or the fact you're going back with a ring on your finger?"

"Both, in a way." John sat next to her, taking her left hand with his and kissing over her fingers. "It'll be hard, being without you for six more months."

"I know." Anna kissed the back of his hand before using her free one on his jaw to allow her to kiss his cheek. "But now you get to write from the perspective of the house husband missing his wife. You've joined an exclusive club you know."

"I know." He added his other hand to caress over her wrist. "Doesn't make it any less hard."

"Well," Anna swung her legs up onto his lap, scooting over to sit there as her hands looped around his shoulders. "I'm sure you could find a way to manage for yourself. They've got lube and other things to help with that problem."

John buried his head in her neck, kissing and sucking there as Anna squealed and tried to fight him back. He pulled back and they stared at one another a moment before Anna planted her lips on his. They wrapped their arms around one another, moving sinuously through and around appendages to hold the other as tightly to them as they could manage. Anna adjusted her position to straddle his legs and held tightly at his hips with her knees as if she could secure herself there.

"How about one to take with me?" John murmured against her ear, trailing kisses from there to her jaw to ring her neck with his attentions. "Before the car comes."

"I thought you were taking the military flight." Anna sighed into him, her hand delving into his hair to hold him close as he continued kissing at her neck while his hands worked into her jacket.

"I am but they don't want to risk me getting lost on the way to the plane." John hummed against her skin, hands slipping under her shirt to caress her breasts through her bra. "Robert's afraid I might hide myself away so I'm stranded here with you."

"Must think you love me or something." Anna shifted against John, holding herself tighter to him when his hips bucked toward hers. "We won't have much time."

"If you don't mind it a little rough and-"

"Hard and fast is fine." Anna pulled his lips back to hers while sliding her body back off his legs. "Faster the better."

"I'm still a gentleman." John caught her shirt, his arm turning inside it to tug Anna back toward him so his other hand could open her belt and trousers. "And while you're not wearing the lovely set from the other night, I do still know my way around the inside of your knickers."

"If I'd known we were planning this I wouldn't have worn any." Anna put her hands on John's shoulders to bring herself over him as his hand snuck inside the lining of her knickers to rub at her clit. "Should've realized."

"Probably." John lifted his head to kiss under her chin as his fingers drew lines down and around her folds. "But it'd make you bloody uncomfortable for the rest of the day."

"And having you dripping out of me or wearing soaked knickers isn't going to be uncomfortable on it's own?" Anna laughed into his kiss before gasping.

"It'll be a little less obvious because you won't be wearing a wet spot in your uniform." John eased a finger inside, scissoring a moment to open her for a second finger as Anna's nails formed divots on his scalp. "But I'll let you be the judge of that."

"You'll have sex hair all the way back to England."

"A cross I'll gladly bear." John squeezed at her breast under her shirt and his thumb pressed at her clit. "You're almost ready."

"Just make me come already so I can get you inside me." Anna grabbed his wrist with one hand and steered his actions while her other yanked his hair just enough to bring their lips back together. "We've not got time to dawdle."

"Your wish is my command." John tweaked her nipple through her bra and stroked that spot inside Anna's walls.

She covered her shriek in John's shoulder, biting at the fabric of his shirt to try and keep the volume down while her body shook through the finish. John continued gliding over her, feeding the fading ripples until Anna collapsed against him. His hands kept her from toppling to the floor while his lips painted a trail over her exposed skin.

Anna forced herself to stand, risking her trembling legs, and shoved her trousers and knickers down to her knees. Her fingers crunched in John's shirt to pull him up before she pivoted to bend over the cot. With her hands spread and her legs widened as much as bounds of her trousers would allow, Anna turned over her shoulder to look at John.

"Something keeping you?"

"One should always take the time to appreciate fine art." John put his hands on her ass, squeezing and massaging there until Anna's whole body practically vibrated with pleasure.

"We've not got the time."

"I'm not just going to rut you like-"

"Like a prostitute you picked up in the Bangkok Red Light District?" Anna laughed and then bit her lip as John thrust forward. "Oh bugger."

"That's the plan." John drew back, his hands light on her hips and ass as he held to the edge. "Hard and fast?"

"Please."

He set a punishing pace, squeaking the cot across the floor until it hit the tent wall. Anna could almost laugh at the event but her focus was entirely on keeping herself from toppling over. Her arms bent to right angles and she held herself there with deep breaths while focusing on the sensation of John working over her.

The addition of his fingers to her clit and his hand questing under her shirt again draped him over her back so he could whisper in her ear. "Next time we do this, we'll be in a real bed."

"Yes please." Anna closed her eyes, trying to see it.

"It'll be in a room where we're the only ones around. No more hotel rooms or offices or-"

"Never?" Anna could have laughed at the way his breath caught in his throat at the suggestion. "Because I've got an office in Harrogate and-"

"You naughty girl." He sped up, abandoning his hold at her breast to grasp her hip to better meet his thrusts. "Tempting me like that when I'm trying to paint a romantic picture."

"You… started… it." Anna shoved back toward John, knees bending to try and add leverage to her position. "Who's house?"

"Have you got one?"

Anna laughed, forcing it past the lacking air in her lungs. "We need to work these things out."

"They'll be time for that." John continued drawing all the way out before driving back in as deeply as he could. "We'll work it all out."

"Yes," Anna turned her head to catch his lips with hers. "Yes we will."

John pressed at her clit in time with a slight shift in his stance to hit that spot inside her that sent Anna over the edge again. He followed soon after, their bodies rocking and bumping together in the final stutters of their mutual climaxes. His left hand landed over hers and Anna curled the fingers toward her to hold tighter to him as they settled.

A honking noise from outside broke their kiss and both turned their heads toward the tent. John shoved himself back fast enough to almost trip over the floor but he caught himself on the edge of the table. He hissed when it hit his hip and Anna tried not to laugh as she pulled her trousers and knickers back into place.

"Are you alright?"

"Just… dinged myself." John rubbed hard at his hip and upper thigh. "That'll leave a nasty bruise."

"In other circumstances I might not prescribe this." Anna came to him, stopping his hands from pulling his trousers closed. Instead she held them open enough to slide them down his legs and kiss the spot. As she stood she pulled his trousers together and did them up for him. "For the pain you understand."

"Isn't that a conflict of interest?" John put his hand to her jaw, running his thumb there as they stared at one another. "You trying to be my doctor seems a bit unethical."

"Maybe." Anna shrugged and went to kiss him but a honking horn startled them. "I think your ride is a bit anxious to get going."

"What if I just told them to sod it?"

"Then you'd be out of a job." Anna brushed his cheekbone with her own thumb. "You've got to go back."

"I don't want to."

"And I don't want you to go."

John swallowed, "How about a kiss to take with me?"

"Greedy bastard." Anna whispered and their lips collided. Her fingers tightened on his shirt and in his hair before pulling back. "I don't regret it. Not a single minute of it."

"Me either." John nodded toward the tent flap. "I need to go."

"I know." Anna forced their lips together one more time, harder than all the others to leave them both breathless. "I love you, John Bates."

"And I love you, Anna Bates." John kissed her forehead before breaking away to grab his things.

Anna watched him leave the tent and followed him to the doorway as he loaded into the car. He raised his hand to her before the door closed and she nodded, playing with the ring on her finger. The ring she removed a moment later to replace on the leather line around her neck.

With the ring tucked under her uniform, and snorting to herself at the slightly sticky sensation between her legs, Anna headed toward the infirmary.

Berlin, 1945

John opened his eyes with a start as a hand settled on his shoulder. He smiled at Anna, taking the cup she placed in his hands before scooting over on the wooden bench to allow her to sit next to him. She laid her hand over his left one, her fingers stroking over the ring there, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"They said you found all those people."

"Grün must've really wanted to get his freedom." John sipped the contents of the cup, grimacing at the taste. "It'll be nice when they stop watering down their tea in those disgusting bags."

"It destroys it." Anna pulled his left hand from the cup, holding it with her left, and laid them on his thigh. "I much preferred those blends you always had from Yorkshire when we worked together at the newspaper office."

"Those were simpler times." John took another sip before laying the cup to the side. "Where's Johann?"

"Your Mr. Talbot and Mr. Branson are showing him how to play some card games they learned from some Americans." Anna smiled, "I don't think they realize he's… what's the word?"

"Hustling them." John interlaced their fingers, drawing his thumb along her fingers to feel them. "I imagine you taught him to play."

"There was little else to do on nights when the sirens went off and we'd cram ourselves into the basement of the building." Anna sighed, "It is what you do when you're trying to find hope."

"I'm so sorry."

"No," Anna shook her head, putting her free hand on his shoulder. "We need to stop being sorry. Stop apologizing to one another for the mistakes of the past that weren't our fault."

"But I could've-"

"Even if you think over everything you could've done or all that we didn't do we'll come back to the same conclusion." Anna put her finger under his chin to force him to look at her. "That we're alive. That we're here now. That we've a son. That we're going to continue building a life together despite all the best efforts of the Führer and his Reich. We are still here, John."

"Yes." John leaned his forehead against hers. "Yes we are."

They sat together in silence for a few moments before John shifted again, blinking hard. "I'm going to fall asleep here if I don't move."

"You already fell asleep here once." Anna giggled, pushing hair back from his head. "Why don't you go back to my cot and sleep?"

"It'll be too lonely without you."

"I'm sure it would be." Anna brushed through his hair. "But you need rest and I've my interview with Major Ross."

"Interview?"

"It's for show, so he says, to authorize m de-Nazification." Anna shrugged, "He says we'll probably just talk about where I'll live in England once I'm free of this and which schools I'll look into for Johann."

"Not England." John shook his head and kissed Anna's hand when she frowned. "There'll be… too much bad blood between English and German for a long time to come. I don't want to risk you, or Johann, struggling just to cross a street."

"Surely you don't want us in America."

"Heavens no." John shuddered. "No one should have to live in that godsforsaken place."

"Don't be so cruel." Anna swatted at him. "I'm sure it's a lovely country."

"It'll have many of the same prejudices."

"Everywhere will have them." Anna shrugged, "It's the way of the world after a war. There is nowhere you could go that would be left untouched."

"Maybe there is." John smiled at her, reaching over to stroke over her cheek. "I've got an uncle, in Scotland, who's willing to let me live there."

"Scotland?" Anna laid her head on his shoulder, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "They say the Highlands there are the most like Germany."

"That'll make it easier to adapt there."

Anna frowned, "But not the accents of the people there."

John laughed again, "You're right. That might be a bit difficult for you and Johann." He held her closer. "But you'll be alright. And it'll be better there. Further away from the war and anyone who'll be angry about it."

"We're angry about it John." Anna turned her head to him. "We can't get away from that."

"But we can find a place of our own." John kissed her forehead. "We can make a place for ourselves there."

"And your uncle is alright with us living in his house?"

John winced, "It's… It's more of a castle, actually."

"A castle?"

"It's an old manor house, for my mother's clan, but-"

Anna put her finger over John's lips, shushing him before kissing him. "I was alright when you said we'd live in a castle."

"Then you wouldn't mind living in Scotland?"

"I'm sure Johann would love to pretend to be a knight in a castle."

"Mrs. Bates?" John and Anna turned their heads to see Ross. He waved at them, "I'm ready to start your interview, Mrs. Bates."

"Thank you." Anna stood, her left hand still connected to John's.

"For what, Mrs. Bates?"

"Because you called me 'Mrs. Bates'." Anna smiled, releasing John's hand, and faced Major Ross. "You're only the second person who has ever called me that."

"Then I'm glad to be the second one." Major Ross nodded at John, "I'll assume you were the first."

"I was." John nodded at Anna, "I'll be here when you finish."

Anna followed Major Ross into the room and John rested his head back on the wall, closing his eyes to remember when he called Anna 'Mrs. Bates'.

Berlin, 1939

John smiled, holding Anna's hand as they stood in front of the minister. He read out the vows to them in Latin and German, Anna and John responding in kind as he continued. They could not stop staring at one another, occasionally taking a few more seconds and some hints from the minister, and placed their rings with shaking hands. But once they were seated, John leaned forward to finally kiss Anna when the minister allowed it.

At the first opportunity, John swept Anna into his arms and walked down the aisle of the Lutheran church to the doors. They paused there and Anna, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, leaned over to kiss him before kicking her legs to have him let her down. John took her left hand with hers to lead them outside into the sunlight.

Except it was raining. John and Anna ducked together, running for a cab, laughing as they hurried into the backseat of the car. Stumbling through the address John wanted, he leaned back to hold Anna close to him. He brushed damp strands of hair from her face and kissed her again.

"How does it feel?" John whispered to her, in English so the driver could not hear.

"How does what feel?" Anna leaned into him, her hand over his heart, and responded in English as well.

"How does it feel to be 'Mrs. Bates'?"

"I feel like I'm the person I was always meant to be." Anna leaned up to kiss him. "I love being 'Mrs. Bates' and I want you to continue calling me that."

"I'll call you that until I'm dead and buried." John kissed her again, only stopping when the driver made a noise in his throat. "I think he's a little uncomfortable with this."

"He can stand to be jealous." Anna pulled John's lips back to hers and leaned back to bring John's body over hers. "I'm a married woman and I'm going to enjoy it."

They eventually separated before they reached the flat and John paid the driver before they darted through the rain to the door. Fumbling with the key a moment, John managed to open the door and got them through the lobby to the lift. A lift that they used to kiss in the corner as they moved up the floors toward their flat. Another place that allowed John a chance to fumble the keys again when Anna distracted him with kisses on his neck. Stumbling through the door finally allowed them to be alone.

John closed the door, locking it to keep them away from the world, and faced Anna. She smiled at him, walking backward toward their room as she pulled the pins from her hair. It toppled and sagged a bit with the rain but John still noted the shine.

He followed, leaving his jacket and shoes in their sitting room, cufflinks tinkling on the little dresser at the end of the short hallway to their room. Anna, continuing to manage her careful, backward steps, left her jacket on a doorknob and undid the buttons on her blouse. One by one they opened, her slightly see-through shirt leaving her body and her skirt to hang on the knob to their door. A knob Anna opened to lead him inside.

His shirt tugged over his head, socks wrangling and twisted near the door before his belt thunked to the floor. Anna's shoes mimicked the sound as she left them and her nylons a step away from where her skirt dropped to the floor. John's trousers thumped into a pile just short of the bed as he climbed it to reach where Anna had lain herself over the duvet.

In the quiet, broken only by the patter of the rain on the windows, John stared down at Anna. His hand found her left to bring it to his mouth and kiss the ring there. "I love you, Anna."

"I know." She smiled up at him, lifting herself to bring their lips even. "And I love you, John Bates."

John kissed her, pressing her back to the bed, and set to his task. Her hands eased into his hair, ran over his chest, and scraped over his shoulders while he worked his way down her body. Her brassiere hit the floor, possibly joining one of the piles of clothing they left there but John barely noticed or cared to check. Instead he dedicated all of his attentions to mouthing around Anna's breasts and following the verbal signals of keens and whimpers before they dissolved into moans as he ran his tongue over her belly button.

Nipping at her knickers allowed him to lead them down her legs with his teeth, giving him a grin to match the shivers running through Anna's body. He kissed his way back up her legs, spreading them wider with his shoulders, and finally kissed her folds. They slicked as he worked, sliding through his lips and teeth before coating his tongue when he delved it deep. Adding his fingers brought her over once and when his tongue wrapped her clit to suck there, she fell again.

With her gasping for air, moaning at the caress of his tongue licking over her, John rose up to leave his pants on the floor. Her hand flailed out to wrap around him and her legs widened to pull him closer. John thrust forward in a moment and held there until Anna's hips moved. He followed her guidance to move and stroke when she needed it.

The sound of her third climax, rippling through her and clamping her vaginal walls to cling around him, sent John to finish. He worked her through the final stutters of his body and barely caught himself before his weight crushed her. They wrangled themselves sideways and John smiled at her.

She smiled back, putting her lips to his. "I'm now fully, Mrs. Bates."

"If that was all it took then you were already Mrs. Bates." John grinned and kissed the hint of a scowl from Anna's face. "But I know what you mean."

Anna let her hand run over his chest, trailing nonsensical lines there before meeting his eyes again. "We will take care of one another, won't we?"

John cupped her jaw with his hand. "I plan on doing nothing else for the rest of my life."

She snuggled closer to him, her head going to his shoulder. "Me either."

Kissing the top of her head, John closed his eyes and held her close.

Berlin, 1945

John opened his eyes and returned the grin splitting Anna's face wide. "What is it darling?"

She held up a piece of paper. "I'm divorced." John was almost out of his seat before Anna put a hand to his shoulder. "From Alex. Major Ross pulled strings and officially divorced me from him. Now all we've got to do is have our marriage recognized by the State and we're-"

John pulled Anna close and clutched her tightly to him. The tears leaked from his eyes, dropping into her hair as her fingers clawed into his shirt to keep him in her embrace. They rocked together a moment before separating to wipe the tears from the face of the other.

"Take me somewhere John." She whispered, brushing a final tear from his face. "Somewhere we can be alone."

"I don't-" John scanned the hallway to note an office with the light off. Taking her hand he hurried them inside it, closing the door with a thump and locking it tightly before putting Anna's back to it so he could kiss her.

"Desk," Was all she could manage to say before John lifted her into a pivot to put her ass on the surface. Papers and supplies hit the floor and slid over the surface but they did not care.

John hurried to work his trousers free as Anna unbuttoned his shirt to hold onto his chest, skin to skin so his heartbeat could thud against her hand. She clamped her hand to the back of her neck and dragged him to her lips while her other hand pushed herself off the desk so John could drag her knickers off her legs. With them flicked to the side, landing somewhere they would need to remember in a few moments, John's fingers set to work.

Anna tried to mask her moans in his mouth, her tongue trying to assert dominance over his mouth while he set her hips rocking into his hand. But a few well-placed crooks of his fingers, her clinging walls, and his thumb thrumming at her clit, left her screaming into his mouth. He moved his hands to her ass, holding her there as her legs wrapped his waist to bring them together in a single thrust.

They both allowed a shudder to move through them, shaking against one another as Anna rocked and gyrated against him. John dug his fingers into her skin, grinning against her mouth at the thought of bruises on her ass where only he could see… and possibly later kiss, and met her pace. Soon all she could do was keep up and came again with her hand between them to find the place she needed more than anything else. And when she did, John came too.

They held to one another, breathing in the silence of the room.

After a moment John raised his head and snickered at the desk, "We've made a mess of it."

"It's fine." Anna ran her hands over his face, pushing his hair from his forehead. "We're fine. It's all going to be fine."

"We're going to have a home, Anna." John moved sticky strands of hair from her face. "We're going to be together forever."

"Yes, yes we will."