Matthew was becoming increasingly aware that Mary was becoming colder and colder and he was nearly at the house. His eyes sought for anyone who could help him and luckily he came across Anna, who was carrying coal towards the house.

'Anna!' he called out, loudly enough for her to hear but not enough to wake everyone up. Anna gasped and dropped the coal before running up.

'Mr Crawley, Sir? What happened!'

'I saw her walking outside! So I followed her and I found her, we must get her warm Anna, else she will catch pneumonia.'

'Or worse.' Anna said, before realising her mistake, 'oh I do beg your pardon sir.'

'No its quite alright Anna, it was not your fault. I shall take her to her room whilst you gather the necessary equipment. No one must know of this Anna, not even Lady Grantham.'

'Yes Sir.' Anna said before running off back to the kitchens. Meanwhile, Matthew took Mary to her room and laid her down. Just as he had put her down, Anna entered the room and gasped at the sight.

'My poor lady, we must get her out of those wet clothes immediately!' Anna exclaimed. Matthew almost choked.

'We?' he asked incredulously.

'Sir, I don't want to put you in a position which is highly unethical and immoral but Lady Mary's life is at stake and I need help!' she said and Matthew nodded.

'Of course, you're quite right.' He said softly and Anna smiled and locked Mary's room. 'Sir, I will need you to hold her upright whilst I get her out of the gown.' Anna said and Matthew did what he was told and he remained a gentleman by closing his eyes. Soon enough Mary was in a clean night gown, a fire had been made up, a bed pan was heating up the bed and Mary's skin was much warmer.

'I suppose I'd best be going' Matthew said and Anna nodded.

'Yes Sir.'

'Matthew.' Mary croaked, the sound of her voice making both others jump. Matthew walked over to her.

'I'm here Mary, I'm here.' He said, taking her hand and sitting down. Mary slowly turned her head to face him, a single tear leaking out of the corner of her eye.

'Now you know, can you… can you forgive me?'

'Mary, there is nothing to forgive.' He whispered, chuckling slightly. Mary shook her head.

'There is.' She licked her dry, cracked lips, 'if I had been stronger, I would have had the will power to turn him away or I would have been able to tell you. I have spent the last 7 years loving you Matthew and had I not hesitated, I could have been married to you.' She whispered.

The scene was almost heart breaking and even Anna found herself wiping a tear away. Matthew was at a loss for words. His heart soared because she had admitted that she still loved him and Lavinia had requested that h be happy and it seemed that Mary was his happiness 'Then I forgive you Mary, and forgive me…. Forgive me for not trusting your feelings.'

'Matthew, listen to me.' Mary said before coughing a bit. 'Matthew, I am engaged to be married, nothing can happen between us now… ever. I will not condemn the family because of my disgrace, I'd rather die first. You and I must be friends, no, less than that… we must be only acquaintances.'

'But Mary…' Matthew said, his heart now aching again but Mary would not listen.

'Once I am married, Richard will not let me alone with you, he will not let me visit Downton at all. I know what he's like, I know what he's capable of and I will not let him destroy everything Papa has worked so hard to get. You must go now.' Mary closed her eyes with exhaustion.

'Very well Mary,' Matthew said, his voice cracking and he bent down and gently kissed her, determined to remember the feel of her lips pressed against his, how soft they were. If he were to lose another woman that he loved, he wanted to make it that he would never forget their last moments as sweethearts together. As soon as his lips touched hers, Mary instinctively pulled him closer and deepened the kiss before suddenly pushing him away.

'I love you Matthew, but no more, no more.' She whispered, turning her head away from him and letting a tear slide down her face. Matthew nodded dejectedly before going back to his room and getting the first sleep he had had since Lavinia's death.

'MARY'S CAUGHT THE SPANISH FLU!' was what Matthew woke up to. All remaining colour in Matthews face went when he heard those five words. The dreadful disease had come back to haunt him again. Immediately, he threw back the covers and made his way to the corridor.

'My Lord!' he cried when he saw Lord Grantham standing by Mary's room.

'Matthew!' Robert's eyes were filled with worry.

'I heard someone yell Mary had Spanish flu!'

'That would be Sybil.' Robert shook her head but Matthew was dissatisfied that he had no answers.

'You avoided the question! Is it a yes or no!' he cried.

'Well, Sybil has personally diagnosed her with it, but Doctor Clarkson is examining her now.' Robert said and Matthew let out a sigh of relief.

'Well let us pray to God that she shall be spared from the terrible disease. I'm sorry for my outburst sir.' Matthew sighed and Robert patted his shoulder.

'Don't worry about it Matthew, we are all concerned.'

Suddenly Cora appeared from the door. 'We have good news and bad news Robert…. Oh Matthew I did not see you there.' She smiled at him, 'which do you wish to hear first.'

'Give us the good news.' Robert said and Cora nodded.

'The good news is that Mary has not contracted Spanish Flu.' Cora smiled and both Robert and Matthew felt a weight lifted off their shoulders, 'she will probably just need to be in bed all day so that she may recover for tomorrow.' Cora said.

'And the bad news,' Robert inquired.

'Carlisle has to be informed and I have to go and get one of the servants to wake him up.' Cora sighed. Matthew grimaced at Carlisle's name and realised how obvious it was that everyone disapproved of the match between Mary and her fiancé. How had he not seen it before?

'You may go and see her if you wish Matthew,' Cora said and she sighed, 'I'll go and call for Mrs Hughs.' And she walked off just as Dr Clarkson emerged.

'How is she Clarkson?' Robert asks.

'Her ladyship is very weak my Lord, and although it is not Spanish flu, thank God, she is in danger of developing serious pneumonia. Do you know if Lady Mary left her bed chambers at all during the night?' Dr Clarkson asked.

'Not as far as I am aware.' Robert replied and Matthew swallowed, considering telling them of Mary's walk in the rain but he soon decided against it.

'Perhaps she went for a little night air, it was dreadfully warm in the house' he said instead.

'Well if she did, that would be an explanation as to why Lady Mary is like this, especially in this weather.' Dr Clarkson said as Carson rounded the corner.

'Carson? Is everything alright?' Robert asked.

'No My Lord, we have a visitor who is asking for an immediate interview with you.'

'Alright Carson, I'll be right there.' Robert excused himself and followed Carson towards his library.

'May I see her Clarkson?' Matthew asked and Dr Clarkson nodded.

'Of course Mr Crawley but, just be wary. Her current state may bring back painful memories for you.' He said placing a hand on Matthews shoulder.

'I shall look after her Dr Clarkson.'

'Repaying the favour then?' Clarkson chuckled.

'Doctor?' Matthew raised an eyebrow.

'Well when you were taken ill, before the late Miss Swire came back it was Mary who cared for you night and day, like a devoted wife. She even wore an apron Mr Crawley… I assumed that you knew.' Clarkson said, surprised and Matthew frowned.

'No, I can't say that I did, but thank you for telling me Sir.' He smiled and shook Clarkson's hand before he left.

Matthew took a deep and entered Mary's room where Anna was sitting in the chair, not having moved since he had last been in the room.

'How is she doing?' he asked and Anna looked up at him.

'Not very well at all Sir; we just have to be grateful that it is not the Spanish Flu.' Anna said and she looked at Mary's pale face. Matthew nodded in agreement.

'Anna, would you mind fetching me a chair so that I may sit beside her?' he asked and she nodded.

'Of course, sir,' Anna smiled, leaving the room to get a spare chair. Taking advantage of the alone time he had with Mary, he bent down and kissed her forehead.

'Matth…' she murmured.

'Hush my love, you must conserve your energy.' Matthew said.

'Mmmm.' She nodded in agreement, 'but I've been… so….so….stupid.' she licked her dry lips and Matthew jumped when Anna entered with a chair. She set it down behind him and he thanked her with his eyes when he sat down.

'No you haven't been stupid.' Matthew said, stroking her hair. Anna smiled softly, and decided to man the door.

'Have.' Mary couldn't open her eyes, 'I lost… you…. now…. I've made…. myself…. ill… ' She said weakly and Matthew shuffled closer to her. 'Standing….on the abyss.' She murmured and Matthew did not know what to do.

'Don't talk like that. You will always have me.' Matthew whispered and he kissed her hand.

'Mr Crawley, Sir Richard is coming!' Anna whispered and Matthew released Mary's hand and stood up, Anna running to stand by him. Literally seconds later, the doors flew open and Sir Richard and Lady Grantham walked in.

'Mr Crawley, how interesting to see you away from your fiancés grave or your room' Richard stated coldly, to which everyone flinched 'how is she doing?'

Matthew sucked in his breath and forced a tight smile on his face, 'Dr Clarkson has said it is not Spanish Flu, but she could develop Pneumonia. She needs to rest as much as possible.'

'Well she'd best hurry up and get well, she and I must wed before Christmas.'

Cora looked shocked at Richards statement, 'Sir Richard! Surely you should be more concerned that Mary gets better rather than marriage.'

'Of course I would like Lady Mary to get better but she needs to understand that I will not stand for her constant delaying!' Richard growled and he marched over to Mary's bedside and sat on the bed. 'Mary my darling.' He said in a soft voice, which surprised everyone and Mary turned to him.

'Richard.' She murmured.

'Yes, I'm here…. What were you thinking you silly girl, catching something like this…. One would think you had been walking outside in nothing but your nightgown.' He said in a joking matter but Matthew blinked at him, something wasn't right… did Richard know? Sir Richard looked at Matthew, his dark beady eyes shining brightly, 'shouldn't you be making your way back to Manchester now Mr Crawley?'

Matthew opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by Cora.

'Sir Richard, Matthew is family and is our guest here at Downton and you shall not speak to him in this way.' She said, 'I think we should leave Mary to rest now…. All of us.' Cora looked at Matthew as she said this before turning back to Sir Richard, 'Only Anna may stay as she is Mary's maid, let us all retire for a spot of lunch.' Cora gestured towards the door and cleared her throat.

'Yes Cousin Cora, I couldn't agree more.' Matthew smiled and made his way out of Mary's room.

'I quite agree,' Richard smiled before putting what looked like a kiss on Mary's cheek and whispered in a menacing tone, 'Mary Crawley, don't think you can ever hide what you do from me, I saw you leave the house, followed by Matthew Crawley. You are treading on egg shells my dear. What makes you think Matthew will ever want you? He brought you back to me, now I suggest if you want to save your family from ruin and we let this… incident slip, you move up the wedding and you restrict your conversation with Crawley, do you understand me.' And with that he left.

R x R please :)x