Author's note: I tried to find contemporary place/person for this section but if they don't quite match up or as in the diagnosis which is more an emergency condition than I make it to be, I ask you allow me this dramatic license as I have need to keep Matthew in the dark for a bit longer. Enjoy.

Mary walked slightly apart from Matthew as he tried to navigate the path of the garden back to the house with his cane.

"You're about to reach the steps," she alerted him when they were close to the door into Downton.

Matthew tapped each step as he carefully walked up them to enter the house. He was quite pleased he could do that without holding on to Mary.

"Well done," she said, boosting his confidence. "Now where would you like to go?" She was hoping that he was ready to head up to their room when Carson appeared.

"Lady Mary, Mr. Crawley," he greeted them. "Mrs. Crawley is in the drawing room waiting for you."

Both Mary and Matthew went to see her. They were both happy she could come visit.

"Carson, can you please bring us some tea?" Mary requested sweetly.

"Certainly," he acknowledged and headed out.

"How are you doing Matthew?" Isobel asked when they settled in. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better mother," he confirmed. "There is the matter of my eyesight but everything else is wonderful."

Mary felt his pain when speaking about his blindness. She knew he was struggling to be optimistic. She wished she could somehow heal him magically.

"Has the eye specialist come yet?" Isobel inquired.

"Papa is trying to get him down from London," Mary replied. "Apparently he's a very busy man. But papa will get him here soon I'm sure of it."

"That's good."

"Lady Mary," Anna addressed her when she entered the drawing room. "It's time."

Mary understood and quickly made her excuses to leave the room.

"Time for what?"

"Feeding the baby," Matthew replied with a slight grin. "You should see her with the baby mother. She's quite wonderful."

"I'm glad to hear it. Now what is this about you refusing help from Ms. Nightingale?"

Matthew wondered when she was going to bring up that subject. He had suspected that she had a hand in it.

"She comes highly qualified and recommended you know."

"With a name like that, I would imagine she would," he joked.

"This is serious Matthew. You can't get a better nurse than her."

"Careful mother, Mary might hear you and take offense. Besides, I think I have the best nurse that can possibly be found."

"I know Mary is," she agreed. "But I'm just worried this might be too much for her to bear."

"Don't worry mother," he assured her. "I won't be a burden for her any longer."

"Oh, and why is that?" Isobel asked, slightly alarmed. If Matthew had not been grinning, she would have assumed the worse.

"I've been slowly learning to do things for myself," he revealed to her. "Except for a few things, I mean to be self-reliant, you'll see."

...

"Look who's here to see you," Mary offered when she returned. She carried her son and showed him off to his paternal grandmother.

"Oh," Isobel gushed as she took the baby from Mary. "He's such a lovely boy."

"I thought I was a lovely boy," Matthew teased. He heard Mary giggle as she sat beside him.

"Well, I'm afraid you've been superseded," she declared teasingly. "And as grandmother, I am an authority on that."

"I'm afraid she's right," Mary agreed. She ran her fingers down Matthew's face to comfort him for his loss of the title.

"Have you decided on what his name would be?" Isobel asked, still cradling the baby.

"We haven't decided," Mary responded, slightly embarrassed that they hadn't thought more about it.

"We have had other matters in mind, mother," Matthew defended their negligence.

"Of course, I'm sure you will have a name for this little one soon."

...

"Isobel is right, we should decide on his name," Mary declared as she prepared for bed.

"I suppose we can't continue calling him 'the baby'," he teased, gladly receiving her warm body next to his when she snuggled against him.

"Matthew, this is serious," she warned him.

"What name were you thinking?" he asked. "I'm sure you've had something in mind."

Mary paused a little before answering. "I was thinking of naming him after you."

"Another Matthew," he repeated thoughtfully. "And how are we to know which of us you're addressing?"

"He'll be young Matthew," she answered plainly. She heard Matthew chuckle beside her. "What was your choice?"

"I was thinking William," he said sentimentally. He felt it was a fitting tribute to the man who had saved his life during the war. His recent brush with death had reminded him of just how lucky he was to be alive and with the woman he loved.

"William," she repeated in a whisper. "How about William Matthew?" She lifted her head to see how he felt about the name.

"William Matthew Crawley," he said with a smile. "I like it. Shall we announce it tomorrow at breakfast?"

"Why not," she agreed. "I think you're ready." She snuggled back next to him and quite happy with their choice of name for their son, the future Earl of Grantham.

...

"Good morning," Matthew announced their arrival for breakfast service the following morning.

Mary gently guided him to a seat next to her father. When he was seated, she went to get them some food.

"It's so nice of you to join us today," Robert stated with obvious approval.

"I thought I monopolized Mary's time quite enough," he replied.

"I'm sure they didn't miss me at all," Mary said when she sat down beside him and placed a plate in front of them. She gently guided his hand to acquaint him with what he was having to eat.

Robert was observing how Mary was helping Matthew that he ignored what she said. He saw how easily Matthew navigated the plate and fed himself. He was quite impressed.

"Have you heard back from the doctor from London, papa?" Mary inquired as she took a sip from her cup.

"I just received a call this morning actually, he is coming tomorrow."

"That's wonderful," Mary said, touching Matthew's arm. "I can't wait to hear what he has to say."

"Hopefully it's something good," Edith opined.

"Mary and I wanted to announce what we've decided to name our son," Matthew said, changing the subject back to why they came down for breakfast.

"Really?" Robert prompted.

"Yes, we'd like to name him William Matthew Crawley," Mary revealed.

"And we wondered if Edith and Tom would agree to be his godparents," Matthew added.

"Are you sure?" Edith wondered with surprise and looked at Mary to confirm if she meant it.

"It was Mary's idea actually," Matthew continued. "And I agree with her."

"I'm honored," Tom said, touched by Mary's gesture. He turned to see Edith at a loss for words.

...

Robert entered the library in the afternoon to find Cora reading the paper.

"Do you know where Mary and Matthew are?" he inquired.

"I believe they are taking a walk out in the garden," she replied, folding her paper. "Why, did you need to speak to them?"

"No, it can wait. You should have seen them this morning at breakfast."

"Why, what happened?"

"Matthew was pretty impressive eating by himself with some guidance from Mary. If you didn't pay attention, you wouldn't even notice her gently guiding his hand. You'd think Matthew could see again."

"Mary has always been able to make Matthew do what she wants," she joked.

"Yes, and Matthew seems to bring out the good in her," he added. "Did she mention that she's chosen Edith and Tom to be William's godparents?"

"Yes, she did tell me," Cora confirmed. "I think it's a wonderful idea all around."

"I just hope that the doctor has good news for us tomorrow and everything will be perfect."

"I'm sure it'll turn out for the best," Cora said and reach out her hand to Robert.

Robert had his reservations but chose not to voice them. He prayed that things were good for Matthew. If anyone deserved it, his son-in-law did.

...

Dr. Clarkson arrived early in the morning with Dr. Duke-Elder to check on Matthew. After minutes of checking while Mary and Robert stood by, Dr. Duke-Elder stood up to make his diagnosis.

"I suspect that Mr. Crawley has retinal detachment in both eyes," he began. "It can occur after a head trauma as Dr. Clarkson has informed me he has suffered recently."

"Is there anything that can be done?" Mary asked before Robert could. She didn't quite understand but knew enough from his tone that it was grave.

"I can't tell for sure yet until the swelling in his eyes subside," he corrected himself. "If that were so, then the retina will heal on its own. Otherwise, I would highly recommend surgery."

"If I will need surgery, what are the chances of my regaining my eyesight?" Matthew who had been quiet until then asked before Mary could.

"I must admit that retinal surgery is still in its early stages," Dr. Duke-Elder admitted. "We've had some success with it."

"And if it isn't?" Matthew continued although he already knew the answer.

"Your blindness will become permanent."

"Let's not go there," Mary warned, placing her hand over Matthew's shoulder. "First we need to know what is next for us to know for sure."

"I've instructed Dr. Clarkson on what to look for and once the swelling has subsided, I would like Mr. Crawley to come to Moorfields for a better look."

"Then that's what we'll do then," Mary said with optimistic enthusiasm.

...

"What did the doctor say?" Tom asked when he entered the library after Robert and Mary escorted the doctors out.

"That I might need surgery and I could potentially become permanently blind," Matthew said pessimistically.

"I'm sure you won't," Tom said with confidence. He had seen Matthew recover before and knew in time this, too, shall pass.

"But if I do, I need you to do something for me Tom. Will you?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"I want you to make sure Mary finds happiness," he said. "I won't have her wasting her life away with me."

"I don't think you should say that," Tom warned. "She won't be happy with anyone else."

"You must do everything you can to reason with her. I don't want to be a burden to her."

"She won't let you go, you know that."

"Maybe I can go away where she can't find me. Anything is better than caring for a blind man for the rest of her life."

"I would rather have Sybil back even if she was blind," Tom said sadly. "At least Lady Mary still have you and if you walk away, she will never forgive you."

"Don't I have a say in the matter?" Mary asked, having quietly returned to hear the conversation.

Tom had his back to her and felt quite concerned that she was angry with him when he turned around. He was relieved when she looked at him with obvious understanding and signaled for him to leave them alone.

"Matthew, you must promise not to abandon me," she said calmly. She understood what he was doing, it reminded her of when he had asked her to look after Lavinia.

Matthew was silent for a minute. He struggled to see a way to reason with Mary and that was difficult because he didn't want to break her heart as much as his was at the thought of leaving her.

"I know what you're doing," she continued. "And it just won't do. You're my husband in sickness and in health. You wouldn't want me to leave you if the tables were turned would you?"

Matthew knew he had lost the argument and could only hope that she wasn't too cross with him. He extended his hand for her to take and was not disappointed when she quickly walked into his arm.

"You must promise," she whispered in his ear.

"I promise," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry if I acted like a clod. It's just the looming fear of permanent blindness has me acting not quite myself."

"You're forgiven this time," she said, kissing him for assurance. "But you must stop thinking the worse."

"A blind earl," he reminded her. "What good is that?"

"I think there had been blind earls in history," she guessed. "I think I've read it sometime ago. If I recall, the 3rd Earl of Lancaster and the 4th Earl of Devon were blind."

Matthew smiled. He was impressed by Mary's knowledge and support.

"And how did they manage?" he wondered out loud.

"I believe they lived for years before they passed their estates to their heirs," she revealed.

"I suppose they didn't have a beautiful doting wife," he joked, rewarded by the sound of her laughter.

...

Tom was preparing for dinner when he heard a knock on his door.

"Who is it?" he asked through the door.

"It's me, are you dressed? I need to speak with you if you are," Mary said from the other side of the door.

Tom opened his door and stepped into the hallway to meet with her.

"Thanks," she said. "I wanted to catch you before you went to the sitting room. I wanted a word in private with you."

Tom tilted his head to indicate he was all ears.

"I need your help with Matthew," she began. "I can't have him thinking the same way he did today."

"What can I do to help?" he agreed with her and was ready to help anyway he could. It was the least he could do.

"Please let me know when Matthew starts thinking negatively again, no matter how minor. We need to make him focus on the positive."

"You can count on me," he assured her.

Mary smiled her appreciation for his help.

...

Matthew slowly paced outside his bedroom door. He wondered where Mary could be since the dinner gong had been struck. He heard footsteps and turned to face the person approaching.

"Hello Mr. Matthew," Anna greeted him.

"Ah, Anna, do you know where Mary might be? She's not in our room."

"Hello," Mary greeted before Anna could reply. "Were you looking for me?"

"Yes," Matthew said, seemingly relieved and happy to have her near him again. "Where have you been?"

"I was checking on William," she informed him. She nodded to Anna to let her go on ahead.

"You're not still cross with me are you?" he asked when he heard Anna's retreating footsteps far away.

"You can make it up to me," she said. "By coming to dinner with me downstairs."

"I'd love to," he agreed. "I hope Mrs. Patmore didn't cook something difficult to cut or manage."

"I'll help you but I'm afraid I can't feed you," she teased.

"That's alright, maybe we can ask for dessert in bed as my prize for coming to dinner with you."

"We'll see."