AN: My dear readers, it has been far too long since my last update, and I sincerely apologize! Here is another chapter, though!
DISCLAIMER: As much as I wish it, I will never own Downton abbey.
"Did you miss me, William? Oh, I knew you would!" Mary cooed as she held her little son in her arms and planted kisses all about his face. Matthew watched her with a smile from the door frame.
"You know, Mary, it surprises me nearly every time." Matthew chuckled.
"What's that?" Mary asked, tucking William into his cradle.
"How wonderful you are at being a mother." Matthew said as she kissed little Catharine, already asleep, on the nose.
"Excuse me?" Mary asked, her hands on her hips.
"Don't act as if it is a shocking revelation that you would turn out to be an excellent mother, Mary. Think of the first years I knew you." Matthew pointed out quietly, taking Mary's hand and leading her from the nursery.
"Of course, you're right Matthew." Mary laughed, unwilling to start an arugment over something as silly as this was.
The couple had returned from Ireland just this morning, after spending a lovely two weeks with Sybil and Tom. But of course, Mary and Matthew had spent half of the time they had there missing their daughter, and their dear boy terribly much.
"I must say, it also surprises me when you say that I'm right." Matthew laughed.
"Just as it surprises me when you actually are…" Mary's voice trailed off and she stopped walking as she suddenly felt very light headed.
"Mary, Darling, are you alright?" He asked nervously.
"Yes… I just feel…rather faint." Mary had hardly finished her sentence when he had scooped her up in his arms, and carried her to their bed room, and quickly went about removing her corset, to help her breathe.
"Any better?" He asked, walking to the dresser to pick up Mary's favorite nightgown.
"A bit I suppose, now that I'm laying down." She admitted. Matthew helped her out of her remaining clothing, and slipped the silky soft nightgown over her head.
"My God, Mary, you're so pale!" Matthew observed, placing a hand on her cheek and noticing it was rather warm. "Mary, are you ill?" He asked, his voice full of concern.
"No, I'm sure it's just," But before she could finish she had felt the bile rising in her throat, and ran for the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach quickly.
"And you aren't sick?" Matthew asked again, the sarcasm he'd intentded to use coming out as concern.
"No, I'm not." Mary insisted, though her protest was weak.
"You can say that you aren't all that you like Mary, but tomorrow I think we'll call Gregory- or Doctor Clarkson if you'd like, and get a third opinion." Matthew insisted. Mary looked up at him for a brief moment, and opened her mouth to say something just as another bout of stifling nausea hit her. Matthew approached her gently, and held her hair back for her, all the while rubbing small circles on her back.
"Matthew, no, I don't" Mary's protest was cut off by an urgent knock on the door.
"Mary, Matthew? I need to speak to you immediately!" Isobel's voice shot through the door. She didn't wait for an answer before coming in, her eyes widening in horror at what she saw. "No!" She gasped.
"Mother, what on earth?" Matthew protested, continuing to rub those little circles around Mary's spine.
"We've just gotten a phone call, from Downton. It isn't good news, I'm afraid." Isobel began slowly.
"What is it?" Mary asked, sitting up as straight as she could, her pain forgotten as she braced herself for the worst.
"It would appear that the Spanish Influenza is sweeping through like plague." Isobel began. Mary gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth. "But we'd hoped it wouldn't come here, but we're afraid it has. Two servants at Downton have contracted it;"
"Not Anna?" Mary interrupted quickly, her heart rate speeding in the fear of loosing her dearest friend.
"No, Anna is fine, she's been at Crawly house helping with the children, but Mary, I have to tell you that it would appear that your mother has contracted the disease." Isobel said gently. A cry escaped from Mary's lips that was almost inhuman as the words suddenly clicked.
"I have to go to her, I must do- something!" Mary insisted, rising slowly from the floor.
"Wait a moment, Mary, Have you been feeling unwell?" Isobel asked urgently.
"Well just now I- Wait just a moment, you're not suggesting that I have influenza?" Mary asked, her mouth falling slack in shock, and Matthew gripped her tighter.
"I'm not suggesting anything my dear, I'm merely saying that we cannot be too cautious with two extremely delicate children under four months of age living under this roof. If they caught the influenza they would die, Mary. So I'd say that you should stay here, in your bed room, until we can have a doctor here to see you." Isobel instructed. Mary nodded slowly, even as tears filled her eyes. Her mother had influenza, and she couldn't go to her, she couldn't seek solace in her children because she might have the blasted disease to pass to them!
"Matthew, until we know, I think you ought to stay away from Mary, and take care of the children- just as a precaution." Isobel insisted. Matthew pulled his wife closer to him, and opened his mouth to protest before Mary placed a hand on his chest.
"As much as I hate to agree, she's right darling. If I am…Ill, you have to be able to take care of Catharine and William, I won't have them without us both again. And no protesting, that is an order." Mary insisted, each word stabbing at her heart.
"Mary, I don't like this. Who's going to take care of you?" Matthew asked, his grip on her unwavering.
"I will, Matthew. I'll call Clarkson, and if he can't get here soon, I'll see if Gregory can. Don't be worried, Mary is likely perfectly alright. But better safe than sorry." Isobel explained.
Matthew kissed Mary gently on the forehead. "Get well, my darling." He whispered hoarsely before exiting the room. Isobel took Mary's hand and led her back to her bed, where she tucked her in gently. "Isobel, my mother, is anyone with my mother?" Mary asked, her heart feeling full.
"Your father, O'Brian. Edith was, but Gregory insisted she leave because of the baby." Isobel explained. "Has Sybil been contacted?" Mary asked next.
"Edith said that she was going to call her next." Isobel explained softly as she fluffed Mary's pillows.
"Dear Lord, please don't let any one else contract it." Mary sighed, her head rolling back against the head board.
"You know Mary, I see color coming back to your cheeks, you don't look nearly so ill as you did in the bathroom." Isobel observed.
"I don't feel nearly so ill either. It passed as quickly as it came." Mary sighed, rubbing her temples gently.
"I'm going to call doctor Clarkson. I'll be back in a few minutes, just relax." Isobel said with a gentle smile.
Mary sighed, and stared at the white ceiling of her home. "Dear God, I suppose it's been a little while. It seems I forget to pray unless I need something from you. But I have to beg you, please spare my mother, and me. Not for my sake- I'm nothing special, I know. And I'm half convinced that Matthew would be better off without me. He could marry a pretty little thing who would treat him well, and never argue. But for the love of my children, please. I know that I've made many bad choices in my life, and maybe I don't deserve to see them grow up- but they do need me. Please." Mary's voice broke as she ended her prayer, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
"Mary." Matthew's voice was soft as he opened the door.
"You aren't supposed to be in here, I could have"
"If you have it, there's a good chance that I have it already." Matthew insisted, stepping towards her, and kneeling beside the bed, clutching her hands tightly in his own.
"Matthew…" Mary sighed, resting her forehead against his knuckles.
"I heard what you said Mary. And I can't believe that after this year, you could honestly believe that I'd be better off without you. If you were to…Leave, I couldn't be happy again, not truly Mary. You're it for me. I love you, so terribly much." Matthew said, his voice hoarse with emotion.
"I love you." Mary sobbed quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck, and holding him close. As she breathed in a shaky breath, her eyes focused on the small calendar book Matthew kept on his bed side. And she began to count days.
"Matthew, what day is today?" Mary asked suddenly, brushing away her tears with her sleeve.
"What?" Matthew asked, his brow furrowed.
"What is the date Matthew?" Mary asked slowly as she reached under the blanket to place unseen, a hand on her stomach.
"It's the second of April, Why?" Matthew questioned, taking Mary's free hand and holding it.
"I- Matthew!" Mary gasped, gripping his hand in both of hers.
"What?!" Matthew asked, now utterly confused.
"I'm late Matthew for my- well there's no need to explain all of the specifics, darling, but let's just say that two weeks ago I was supposed to- well, I haven't! And so…" Mary exclaimed, kissing him gently on the lips.
"Mary, I'm afraid I don't quite…" Matthew's voice trailed off as he took in his wife's elated face.
"Darling, it's all so simple. The emotions, the nausea, dizziness, the aches in my back! Matthew, I do believe that I might be having a baby." Mary laughed.
"Mary- You…Really?" Matthew gasped, his eyes falling to Mary's flat abdomen.
"Well I couldn't say for certain, but darling, I think we may have another baby on our hands!" Mary laughed, her fears melting away at the prospect of a third child. Another girl, this time with her dark hair, and Matthew's bright eyes.
" Gregory said that he would stop by in twenty minutes- Matthew Crawley what are you doing in here!" Isobel gasped with concern when she saw her son in Mary's embrace.
"Isobel, Mother, It's alright." Mary held up her palm to stop her.
"Mary, I thought that we had agreed, Matthew was to stay out of your presence until we knew for certain you were not ill." Isobel said firmly.
"Isobel, I do believe I am not ill, exactly, but rather I believe that come winter we'll have another mouth to feed!" Mary explained quickly.
"Do you mean- Mary, do you think you are having a baby?" Isobel asked, both relief and excitement coloring her words.
"I do, I really do. I will admit I'm surprised, for I didn't expect another pregnancy so soon- but all of the signs are there. And…there's no reason that it wouldn't be possible." Mary confirmed, blushing lightly.
"I suppose Gregory could still confirm this. If you're comfortable with him, I know it might feel odd for your brother in law to be the one to confirm it." Isobel suggested.
"I suppose it's perfectly alright if Gregory could confirm this. After all he did figure out I was expecting Catharine and William, and he delivered them as well. I'd hardly say I'm uncomfortable with him." Mary laughed lightly.
"I'll go check on the children then." Isobel said softly, exiting the room and closing the door behind her.
"Oh my darling Mary. Another baby." Matthew grinned as he kissed her softly on the cheek.
"Now, Now, we don't know for certain yet if there is a baby. I could be wrong. We long ago agreed that I am half of the time. So we musn't get our hopes up, just as a precaution." Mary insisted, looking down and her hands.
"And if you are wrong, we'll have to get to work making another, straight away." Matthew suggested with a wry smile.
"Yes, another girl." Mary told him.
"Not another son?" Matthew asked, getting up to settle comfortably beside her on the bed.
"Well, I would hardly be angry if it were a boy. But we can have plenty of those later. A second girl must come first so that she and Catharine will grow up to be the dearest of friends." Mary explained as she leaned into his shoulder.
"And then another boy, to help keep suitors away from our beautiful girls." Matthew decided/
"Then should come another girl, to keep with the pattern." Mary suggested next with a laugh.
"As if we have any control over it at all." Matthew said with a joyful laugh.
"I love you, Captain Crawley." Mary sighed as he leaned in for a kiss.
"And I love you, Mrs. Crawley." He whispered, as he placed a gently kiss on her lips, and then her forehead, pulling her to his chest, and tracing circles on her spine as they sat, for there was nothing to do then but wait.
AN: I am SO sorry that this update hasn't come for months after what it should have! I'll try to be better! I do hope you enjoyed!