A/N- Thank you for your kind reviews, I am glad there are some loyal readers following this story. Also, thank you if you have favourited or followed too.

Disclaimer- Nothing belongs to me.

The move to the studios had come about in what seemed like no time at all. The filming at Highclere School was complete, and John could honestly say he had never been prouder of his work. The production value was so high, it was almost like working on a movie. However, moving back to the studios meant the majority of the cast could come into work from home every day, most of them possessing property in London.

In the show, Peter and Charlotte's characters growing closer had brought along it's own drama. It materialised that the sixth former with whom Peter had had a relationship with, turns up at Downton Grange with his baby. John had loved reading those scenes, something to really get his teeth into.

The young actress playing his ex, Ivy Stuart, was little known to John but had apparently made her name in a drama series that was shown on satellite television. Anna knew who she was and liked her, so that was good enough for John. He had only filmed a short scene at the school with Ivy so far, most of their scenes would be at John's flat whose interior was at the London Studio.

Being back in London had also meant John had been able to meet with the producers of the play to which he had been offered a role. He had missed the theatre, John would be the first to admit that. Scheduling meant it would clash with the early promotion of Downton Grange, but that was something they could work around. John tentatively committed to the project, subject to who his co-stars would be.

Half way through shooting as they were, John was now very comfortable in the filming environment, having made friends with cast and crew alike. He was sat on the set that was the school's staff room, sharing a conversation with Robert about upcoming scenes that were due to be shot. Having a girlfriend in the show meant there were on occasion, some awkward scenes to be dealt with. What made it worse was how John felt for his on screen love, something he hadn't yet shared with anyone else.

'You get to lay half naked in a bed with a beautiful woman. I don't see the down side.' Robert was saying in between sips of a cup of tea.

'A beautiful woman who isn't my girlfriend, whilst being watched by a room of mostly men,' John explained.

'So? You said when you filmed your kissing scenes it was like they weren't even there.'

'But I'll be half naked this time.' John patted his stomach. 'The years have not been kind to me.'

Robert rolled his eyes. 'There'll be a duvet.'

'Where will there be a duvet?'

Both men looked up to see Anna approach them, script under her arm. John glared at Robert, shaking his head. 'Nowhere.' Robert rose to his feet, giving Anna a kiss on the cheek. 'How are you, Anna?'

'Alright, thanks,' Anna replied, looking at the both of them with a sceptical eye. 'Nice to see you again, John.'

John smiled, meeting Anna's gaze. 'And you. How have you been keeping?'

'Good, I met up with a few girlfriends from theatre school last night, so that was fun.'

'Messy?' John asked, the smile still etched on his face.

'The day before work, I'm insulted Mr Bates,' Anna pressed a hand to her chest in mock annoyance. 'I am nothing if not a professional. A bottle of wine with dinner and nothing else.'

'Hmm, I believe you,' John growled, 'thousands wouldn't.'

'Are you saying I'm a lush?'

'No, no,' John backtracked, 'I am simply remarking how a woman like you who enjoys her girls nights out, and thoroughly deserves them I might add, also enjoys letting her hair down a little.'

'Well, let me save you your embarrassment, it wasn't a little,' Anna placed a hand on John's wrist, in that way that she had done a handful of times before. John's eyes were immediately drawn to where her hand lay. 'I'm just hoping I can get through today without anyone noticing.'

'Well, you've managed up until now,' Robert was quick to remark, stifling a snigger. 'Two series in and how many days have you come in on the back of a hangover? You and Gwen in fact.'

'Robert, you could take a leaf out of your old friends book and at least try to be a little bit polite.' Anna looked at her watch then, sighing. 'Anyway, I should be able to fit in one more visit to the bathroom before we start.'

As she walked away, John watched her disappear from view before looking back at Robert, who had been watching him with a confused expression. 'What?'

'You two get on well.'

John shrugged. 'Yeah. I get on with most of the cast here.'

'No, But I mean you really get on,' Robert continued, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He narrowed his gaze on John.

'I like Anna, who wouldn't? She's an amazing actress and a wonderful person.'

Before Robert could question any further, the director was calling for quiet on set. John sat back in his seat, his only job in these scene was to sit in the background whilst Tom and Phyllis's characters shared a scene. Was it really that obvious he felt something for Anna? They had just been talking, hadn't they?

Anna crossed her arms across her body as she paced the set that was the master bedroom in Peter's flat. Members of the crew worked around her as she waited for John to arrive, ready to film Peter and Charlotte's first bedroom scene. It wasn't new to Anna, she had filmed this kind of thing before, but it felt different to be doing this with John, with an actor of his stature.

This scene was taking place the morning after the night before, after their first kiss at the wedding reception. They had shared a handful of other kisses since that one, the sequence in which scenes were filmed dictated that but this was the first time they would be lying together.

It was chilly on set, the dressing gown she was wearing doing little to keep her warm. Such was the nature of the scene, Anna only had a strapless bra and matching underwear on underneath. She stroked her arms, meeting the eye of one of the cameramen and smiling. It was then that John appeared, he too wearing a dressing gown and little else going by his bare feet and the chest hair visible from the top of his gown.

'Alright?' He asked her tentatively, tapping the rolled up script in his hand against his other palm.

'Yeah.'

They stared at one another until the director called for places and this was it. Anna felt one of the crew members approach, offering their assistance with her robe. She tried not to watch as someone did the same for John. He was bulky, she noticed as he turned his back to her. His shoulders were broad, she realised somewhere in the recesses of her mind that she liked that. As he scrambled under the covers, it was hard not to notice the generous amount of hair that covered his chest. A real man she wondered to herself.

He continued to speak to a member of the crew as Anna moved to join him under the covers. They both sat up, Anna hugging her knees as they did so. Waiting for direction from the man in charge, she chanced a glance at her co star. He was running a hand through his hair, ruffling it a little she supposed to make it seem like he had just woken up after a night asleep. For the briefest of moments she wondered what it would be like to twist her fingers in the hair at his temples before the voice of their director interrupted her thoughts. Probably for the best.

'Right, so it's obvious you have just spent the night together. It needs to be obvious how in to each other you are. So, for the dialogue before the kiss, I thought if we have Anna resting her head on your chest, John?'

'If that's okay with Anna,' John asked her, she smiling in response. She nodded.

'Great, then after the kiss we need to allude to you continuing where you left off, so to speak. So Anna, if you move on top of John, then we'll pan away and cut.'

'Yep, fine,' Anna answered nonchalantly with a shrug, feeling John's gaze upon her.

'Okay, so if you'd like to sort yourselves out and let us know when you're comfortable.

'Are you sure?' John asked her again as he moved to lay against the headboard. She nodded her consent once again before moving towards John. He held his arms outstretched for her and she moved into his embrace, laying her head in the crook of his neck. 'If anything, the body heat will be most welcome. It's fucking freezing in here.'

Those words caused Anna to begin giggling as John shifted beneath her. After a few seconds they were settled, and she didn't know if he was doing it subconsciously but the hand on the arm that was around her shoulders was playing with a strand of Anna's hair. It felt heavenly. John was almost bear like, warm, welcoming. Nothing like Jack. This didn't feel awkward at all, being in John's embrace. Anna swallowed hard as that revelation settled within her. She brought her hand to rest on his chest. Oh yes, this was fine.

'Ready to go, guys?' John and Anna signalled to the director they were indeed ready. 'Great. And action.'

John released a satisfied sigh before beginning the scene with his first line. 'Well, that is a night I won't forget in a while.'

'Hmm, me either,' Anna breathed as she shuffled closer to John. 'You have hidden talents, Mr Henderson.'

He chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her hair. He placed a hand over Anna's that was resting on his chest. 'James saw us kiss, you know.'

'I know.'

'He isn't going to look favourably on us.'

'Not in our current states, no,' Anna said teasingly, John reacting by tickling her at her ribs. He couldn't know she was ticklish. How could he? 'Peter, stop. Please.'

'Well, I'm being serious. I moved here under a cloud for reasons I'd rather not go into again. It's different, granted but relationships between teachers isn't recommended.'

It was that moment that Anna chose to sit up, leaning on her elbow. She ran her fingers along his chest, feeling a little bolder now she was in the guise of Charlotte. She moved her forehead to rest against John's. She closed her eyes. 'Do you regret what happened last night?'

She felt the tiniest of touches to her cheek, realising John had pressed a kiss there. 'No, I could never regret last night.'

'Then we just have to promise James we'll be discreet. We're both adults, John.'

'We are indeed,' he whispered, pressing a kiss to her neck.

'But seeing as we don't have to worry about that until tomorrow...'

Anna shifted, intending to place her leg the other side of John's so she could straddle above him. She was so relieved he had anticipated her movements as he moved his legs together to make the task easier for her. She was leaning above him now, her hands either side of his shoulders on the pillow behind him. Anna was looking into John's eyes. Had they turned a shade darker on purpose? She couldn't tell but in that moment she needed eye contact with him as much as she needed the air she was breathing. A scene with another actor had never seemed so intense. He reached for a strand of her hair, taking it between his thumb and forefinger.

'Last night,' Anna continued with the dialogue, trying to articulate the line despite the hitch in her breathing, 'was better than it ever has been.'

'God yes, for me too,' John replied with Peter's next line. He rested his palm on her cheek. 'Charlotte, you are perfect.'

She allowed a beat of time to pass then, before leaning down to press her lips to his. It was soft at first, but Anna soon gave in to the demand of John's kiss. He really knew what he was doing, she felt like she could fall apart in his arms. Every single kiss they had shared up until now had its own uniqueness, made her feel different each time.

But all too soon the director was calling 'cut' and the moment was over. John finished the kiss, like he had all the times previously. When she pulled away, she was sure she could feel him linger beside her, his breath warm upon the hollow of her neck. He shook his head, his eyes closed as he leant further back into the pillow. Anna came back to the moment and realised the position in which they were lying.

'God, sorry,' she quickly moved back to her side of the bed, pulling the duvet up around herself.

'It's quite alright,' John answered her, staring at her with a smirk on his face and a kindness in his eyes she would never quite get enough of. He really looked at her in a way that no other man ever had done.

'Fantastic again, guys,' the director was praising them, 'I love working with you two because I know I'll be getting to eat my lunch on time.'

'Our pleasure, I'm sure,' John replied, pushing the duvet away before getting out of the bed. He accepted the robe from one of the crew, wrapping it around himself. Anna almost jumped when he turned to look at her again. There was a glint in his eye. 'I hope you enjoyed your visit to my bedchamber.'

Anna smiled. 'I did, very much.'

Though, as she watched John walk away, Anna had scared herself with how much.

After choosing herself a salad to eat for a late lunch, Anna moved to sit in the corner of the studio canteen by herself to reflect on her morning's work. The bedroom scene had actually been quite fun to film in the end. Anna knew that was mostly because John had made her feel comfortable from the beginning. What should have been quite an unusual thing to partake in was made easier because of his taking control and making sure she was alright.

It had been like that ever since John had become her co star. It was his experience, she supposed although he was the first to admit he had barely played a romantic lead in his career. There was just something about his presence that put Anna at ease. However, it wasn't just whilst they were working, it was when they were together behind the scenes as well.

She had noticed little things at first. How he would hold her gaze when they were speaking, opening doors for her, seeking her out when he entered the room and sitting beside her. Anna had found herself wanting him to look for her, wanting him to sit down next to her. If the cast were ever all together, she wanted to be the person he looked out for.

Then there was the little interactions between their characters which were almost bringing Anna life recently, especially with her real life partner being so far away. His kisses were warm and inviting, Anna admitting only to herself that they sometimes left her wanting more. John would hold her hand as Peter and she felt the same stirrings within herself that Charlotte would actually had done being in a new relationship. It was strange, and it was becoming more difficult to ignore.

Movement out of the corner of her eye brought Anna out of her reverie, she lifting her head to see Gwen approaching, cup of coffee in one hand and a sandwich in the other. She sat down opposite Anna, before running a hand through her hair.

'You alright?' Anna asked her before putting a slice of cucumber into her mouth.

'I swear, that Thomas Barrow thinks he is the next Martin Scorcese. Asking for our scene to be retaken because I hadn't entered into it with the full essence of the script in mind.'

'What a loser,' Anna sniggered. 'I'm sure Trevor told him what was what.'

'Yeah, well,' Gwen shrugged as she opened her sandwich packet. 'How was your bedroom scene with Mr Bates?'

Looking down at her salad, Anna released a wistful sigh. She was debating whether to tell Gwen about how she felt. She trusted this woman more than any friend she had ever had, she could trust her with this.

'Gwen, can I talk to you about something?'

'Anything Sweetheart, you know that.' Anna nodded before looking up to see Gwen staring back at her, her face etched in concern. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah, I'm fine, it's just...' Anna faltered, pushing a tomato backwards and forwards on her plate. 'Do you think that...' She stopped again. 'I mean, I love Jack, of course I do but...'

'Anna, it's me,' Gwen reassured her friend, reaching across the table and gently tapping the back of Anna's hand.

'Whenever I'm around John, I feel funny,' she began, Gwen's expression unreadable so Anna decided to carry on. 'He just makes me feel weird.'

'As in uncomfortable weird?' Gwen questioned, furrowing her brow.

'No, completely the opposite. When he holds my hand I get jittery in my stomach, when we kiss I don't want the scene to end.' Anna rested her head in her hands. 'God, Gwen. I just want to be near him all the time.'

'I see,' Gwen nodded in understanding as she took a sip of her coffee. 'How long have you been feeling like this?'

She considered Gwen's question for a moment, shaking her head. 'I can't remember when it started, but on the other hand I can't remember what it's like not to feel this way about him.'

'Could it not just be a case of missing Jack? You're clinging to any sort of affection you've been shown by a man because of the lack of it in your private life?'

'I don't know, it feels so real.'

'Anna, I've seen you and Jack together. It's clear you're crazy about one another.'

Dropping her fork down on the table, Anna pushed her plate away in defeat. 'We are, and I know you're right about me missing him. John's just been through a terrible divorce, he wouldn't want anything from me but friendship. But there are times when he looks at me.' Her voice trailed off.

'Maybe John's feelings are so believable because the two of you are that good at acting. Audrey Hepburn said you have to fall a little bit in love with your leading man to make it believable.'

Gwen's phone began to ring then, she excusing herself to answer it. Perhaps there was some truth to what Gwen had said. All she knew was she had had on screen relationships before and had never felt this way towards a male co star. Time would tell, she supposed.

There was nothing like your home comforts after a long day's filming. The hotel the cast had stayed in near Highclere School had been nice enough, but John loved the fact he was sitting in the living room of the flat he shared with his best friend, watching a film together and relaxing in each other's company. The flat they shared wasn't anything fancy, but it had been John's haven after the hell of the divorce he had just been through.

Joseph had only moved in temporarily to help John through the worst of his marriage breakdown but nearly two years later here they were still living together and that not looking like changing any time soon. Joseph had been John's rock throughout his divorce, and it was the least he could do to get his friend out of his dingy studio apartment and living with him, to have his support twenty four hours a day. John wasn't sure what he would have done without his best friend.

It had been Joseph's turn to choose the DVD, he choosing a Laurel and Hardy film they had both watched a million times. John was glad of that, a film he didn't need to concentrate on as he and Anna had been sharing a back and forth over text message. It had started with Anna asking him about which actor had played a certain detective, and here they were a couple of hours later still chatting about nothing much at all.

The truth was, the bedroom scene they had shot this morning had never been far from John's mind all day. The way her knees brushed his hips as she lay atop him, the feel of her hair at his fingertips, her fingers running a trail through his chest her. That kiss. God. John shifted uncomfortably in his seat. It had done little to nothing to quell his feelings for her, feelings that seemed to become stronger with each passing scene they filmed together.

His phone buzzed again, John reaching for his phone and reading the screen. If the incessant buzzing of John's phone had been irritating him, Joseph hadn't said anything.

'Anna eh? You're always getting messages from her recently.'

John turned his phone over, placing it back on the armrest of the sofa. He turned a shade defensive as he looked at Joseph. 'We get on, so what?'

'Alright, keep your hair on. Didn't realise you were so touchy about it.'

John sighed before running a hand over his face. 'No, sorry. I just didn't realise I'd been that transparent.'

'You haven't been. I read her name on your phone screen, John.'

'Robert said something this morning,' John continued, looking ahead at the television as the film played out in front of them. 'That me and Anna get on well.'

'She's your co star. Your a nice bloke. Of course you get on well and would become friends.'

'He didn't say so, but I know he meant as more than friends.'

Joseph didn't reply at first, looking back to the film they had been watching. 'But romance must be the last thing on your mind, after the hell that ex wife of yours has just put you through.'

'You would think.'

He could feel Joseph's stare boring into him, John still looking at the screen straight ahead. Joseph paused the film then. 'John, talk to me.'

Swallowing hard, John turned his head to meet Joseph's eye. 'I think I'm falling in love with Anna.'

'Right.' He nodded. 'Okay.'

'And if Robert's noticed, how many other people have done? She's got a boyfriend, a famous boyfriend. Nothing can ever happen between us but I just can't get her out of my head.' He leant forward then, resting his head in his hands. 'Maybe I should just ask to be written out of the show.'

'Don't be ridiculous,' Joseph was quick to dismiss John's suggestion. 'This show is the best thing you've done in ages. Isn't that what you've been telling me all the time recently?'

'Yes.' John knew his friend was right.

'Well then, you need to try and keep this feelings in check. You're an actor. Act.'

Nodding in agreement, John continued to look at his friend as he pressed play on the DVD remote control. Joseph was talking sense, being written out of the show wasn't an option, plus he had signed a contract for the next couple of series. They had nearly finished filming this current series, perhaps time away from Anna between the end of filming and the start of promotion would help. But as he turned his phone over to see another new message from Anna, he wondered if it would be any help at all.