A/N: Bumper chapter! But hopefully, it'll be worth it ;) I'm trying to work on some other stuff and then I'm away for a weekend, so it may be a few weeks before I can update again.
Also, I'm sorry I'm awful and never reply individually to reviews anymore, but I appreciate you all *SO* much and love reading every single thing. *huge squishes*
Weeks turned into months, the time was flying by so quickly. It had seemed like only mere moments ago that the biggest question she had ever asked anyone had left her lips, and now they were living together. Anna couldn't recall a time in her life when she had been quite so happy. Happy didn't accurately convey all the wonderful things that she felt. It was just so right, and it had happened at the perfect time. From the first night they spent together, once all the moving had been done – which actually hadn't taken all that long, with help from Gwen and Robert and almost the entire Crawley family – she had felt so settled and content, as though it was the place she had always called home. Lying in John's arms, first as they were stretched out on the sofa and then when they had moved upstairs into bed, she couldn't help thinking that home was wherever he was. The lazy smile that was plastered across her face grew when she contemplated it all. Now they had their very own home, and had it not been for the very real warmth of him lying next to her, she would have thought it was beyond her wildest dreams.
They could have bought somewhere using both of their savings, but it didn't seem to make a lot of sense given that they had two perfectly good residences to choose from that wouldn't require much changing. Plus it meant they wouldn't have to wait to move in, something neither was willing to do once the decision had been quickly made. John left it down to Anna, being the one who had made the bold move to ask in the first place, and it didn't take her too long to decide. In fact, there had been little question in her mind.
Although her apartment was relatively new, she wanted to move into John's place. He questioned her choice a little bit at first, purely on practical grounds – it was further from work for her, didn't it look and feel a bit out of date? – but she quickly batted his worries away, a glow lighting her up when she began to point out exactly why she had come to that conclusion. It had been where they had said their mutual I love you's to each other, where they had spent their first morning together. It had been the place where they had made love for the first time, she reminded him with a burst of a blush upon her cheeks, feeling nothing but exultant at the memory. She didn't imagine being anywhere else as they began their life together, and her mind and her heart raced with the thought of all the other firsts that were to occur there.
John smiled as she had come to the end of her speech, his hands fitting on her waist. Anna hummed with happiness while he left a row of warm kisses running along the curve of her neck, her stomach fluttering. It had been a good job that he had been holding her, otherwise she suspected she would have floated away.
"That's that sorted then," he said in a low tone that sent shivers careening over her. Smirking against her skin before he kissed just by her earlobe, his breath was hot against her as he huffed. "You know, it's not too late to change your mind."
She could tell from his voice that he was teasing, and she had a mind to turn around and give him a smack, but instead she smiled wider, bringing his hands further around her front and covering them with her own.
"Never," she uttered softly, craning her head back to rest in the crook of his neck, giggling as she looked at him from such an angle, setting him off too. Once they stopped she sighed with satisfaction, thinking of all the pieces that were fitting together so effortlessly. "I'd do it this minute if I could. I can't wait for it to be us, instead of just you and me."
The two of them together was different from one of them staying over at the other's for a night or two. John was left slumped against the bathroom door waiting for Anna to finish getting ready, a task that seemed to take a little bit longer everyday. She dismayed to find he had left towels trailing through from the bathroom into the bedroom. Anna discovered that John was very particular when it came to arranging the drawers, in every room of the house. He couldn't open the wardrobe door without some soft item of clothing falling out on him, and there was scant space left within there for his own belongings.
Yet they soon became accustomed – or otherwise learnt to put up with – each other's domestic quirks, with both finding them really quite endearing. Together they came up with new little routines and surprises that kept them both on their toes and more than content. Anna had taken to wandering into the bathroom while John was shaving, usually perching herself on the edge of the bath to watch him diligently, but on occasion the temptation would prove too much and she sneaked up carefully, unfurling the knot of his robe from behind so that she could let her hands wander over his chest, fingers weaving in and out of the hair that covered it liberally. She giggled against his growls, and then received her just desserts when shaving foam was smeared across her face as he captured her lips hungrily.
Late of an evening, John would softly knock upon the closed door and then pad slowly into the bathroom, breathtaken by the sight of Anna luxuriating in the bath nearly filled to the brim with bubbles, her hair swept up on her head. The scent of rose and camomile flooded his senses as he lowered his mouth to hers for a brief moment, his eyes enchanted by her as they talked and she gathered the white fluff against one of her hands, the water sloshing softly while she moved her legs underneath it. It cooled off too soon but the heat in the room only grew when she rose up from the bath, in no hurry to cover up her glistening skin. She was ever so cheeky about it, revelling in his reaction, seeing it as payback for the many mornings that he would wander around their bedroom naked and utterly casual, so comfortable were they in each other's company now, all self-consciousness dissolved. It was something she was never able to resist, and the opposite was just as true. His fingers slipped against her skin, momentarily fascinated, before she was lifted into his arms, very much enjoying the blistering kiss he fixed to her mouth that told of all his unstoppable desire for her.
One of her favourite things about them living together was that most nights, given that his commute from work was shorter than hers, she would open the door to be hit with the most delicious of aromas coming from the kitchen, her stomach grumbling louder than it had done at intervals throughout the journey home. He would cook up a storm for her and watch delightedly as she devoured each meal happily, extremely proud at being the master of his domain. She promised that she would take over at least a couple of nights a week, though she knew anything she put together could never compare. The last time she had tried had ended in near disaster and she had been grumpy about it, sulking as John teased her about her lack of skill. Thanks to her stubbornness they had gone to bed that night on a less than harmonious note and the guilt of the silly argument plagued Anna all day as she sat in the office, unable to concentrate on what she was supposed to be doing. She came home that evening ready to spill out all of her apologies as she walked the hallway, but was stopped by her laughter and then her growing arousal when she found him in the kitchen, wearing nothing but an apron and a smile. He certainly knew how to make her forget about any troubles she had. Coming home to him every night, not having to wait to be able to see him, was complete bliss.
They found themselves going out less now, maybe a little because of the increasingly chilly winter nights, but undoubtedly because they had found such comfort and it was infinitely preferable to be curled up with one another. It was the highlight of Anna's week, and John's too, to be cuddled close on a Saturday night, with the lights low and the snacks plenty as they sprawled out on the sofa, legs intertwined. As much as he complained about it, Anna knew that John secretly enjoyed her ritual of watching Strictly Come Dancing, making enough considered comments over the course of the hour and a half that made her giggle with their seriousness. Conversely, she didn't really mind putting up with Match Of The Day later on, admiring some of the footballers in different ways than he did, though of course none of them could compare with how John looked in a kit, or in anything else.
Gwen complained often enough to her, saying that they had already become one of those boring couples who hardly bothered to do anything with anyone else because they were too wrapped up in one another. Anna laughed as she promised her best friend that they'd have a girls' night soon enough, but reminded her that she didn't have much room to moan considering she had let her rent out her apartment with one of her college friends. Gwen shot back that nobody else would take it before her façade swiftly crumbled and she went back to exclaiming her joy about actually living in the place she had envied for as long as Anna had first moved in there.
Letting her friend squeal her excitement down the phone to her yet again, Anna had to laugh to herself.
Everything had turned out for the best all round.
John's birthday came around quickly, and they made the effort to venture out with Anna planning something special. She had gone to great lengths to keep her plans from him, brimming with pride and excitement at everything she had arranged. It was all she could do to keep her glee from spilling over beforehand, handing over the envelope on the morning of the day itself before he had to leave for work. The look on his face had been greater than any reward when he unveiled them; two tickets for a much anticipated adaptation of a play by one of his favourite writers that had just started previewing in the West End. He had caught her rather off guard with an appreciative kiss, though she couldn't complain, getting lost against him before she revealed the rest of the present. Along with the trip to the theatre she had booked them into a five-star hotel just off Covent Garden for the night. John had been taken aback by the gesture, expressing that he was certainly very pleased but that she needn't have gone to such trouble, especially not when they lived not that far away. Anna soon made him stop with his worries, assuring him that she had wanted to treat him and they could let it be enough, just for one night.
Pulling her scarf further up over her chin and rubbing her hands together to keep the biting cold from her fingertips, Anna grinned to herself thinking of what a wonderful night they had had. They had taken full advantage of the late check-out time and had spent the rest of the morning wandering leisurely around Covent Garden market, taking in some of the street entertainment and getting something to eat, warming up nicely. Now the afternoon was drawing in, the clear and crisp winter skies darkening a light shade of purple as they started to set off from Somerset House, where they had spent a couple of hours walking around.
Anna's eyes had sparked when they arrived to see the towering Christmas tree adorning the entrance into the grounds, the sight absolutely magical and made all the more so by the vast and twinkling ice skating rink that stretched out past it. Families, friends and couples were gliding across it, or mainly stumbling and shrieking, with smaller children accompanied by their parents making the most adorable sight on the smaller rink behind, populated by little plastic penguins and polar bears that helped the little ones stay upright. Their laughter made Anna smile, with only a passing hint of sadness, and she tugged upon John's arm, directing his gaze to all the fun that was going on about them.
"No skating for you," he said only a little bit sternly, casting his eyes down to the metallic purple cane she walked with on long distances, just while her ankle healed fully.
Anna relented, smiling up at the way he was looking softly at her. She settled down on to one of the chairs outside while he went into the café to get them a pot of tea and some caramel fudge cake which she had insisted act as his birthday cake, when really she was the one who had the sweeter tooth. They spent a little while sitting there, talking and looking out at the peaceful, picturesque scene, quite a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the West End. Every so often their hands would entwine together without them even having to look at each other, and they both smiled at the act, John pouring out the rest of the tea for them to share before it got too cold and they went inside to look at some of the exhibitions before the house closed for the night.
They were walking up past Waterloo Bridge, watching the sun sink lower into the sky even earlier than the night before, Anna's arm nestled in John's as they enjoyed the last remnants of their own quiet conversation, a greater number of tourists and crowds lining the Southbank stretching up towards Big Ben and Westminster.
The little wooden cabins were either side of them, scents of chestnuts and mulled wine filling the air as they passed through the winter market, Anna stopping every few seconds to take a look at what was on offer, something new and intriguing catching her eye each time. From behind her she could hear John sigh audibly, a not-so-subtle signal that he wished for them to walk on. She smirked at the slightly bored look on his face and looped her hand into the crook of his arm again, her breath misting in the air as they picked up the pace. When she looked up again she saw that his expression had been quickly replaced with one of contentment, and she pressed her side against him, catching his eye with a smile.
She slipped her hand into the pocket of his coat as they walked, her eyes caught by the strings of lights that had been set in trees and elsewhere above their heads. They still gave her a childish little thrill inside; she had been captivated by the gorgeous displays that hung in the Covent Garden streets.
"I wish these were up all year round," she said rather dreamily, admiring the soft yellow twinkles shining above.
She felt John sigh out, the movement underneath her fingertips. "Then they wouldn't be special," he remarked, stealing a look himself at the sights that had diverted her attention. "Although, seeing as they're up from the beginning of November, I wouldn't be surprised if they started them in July next year."
Anna couldn't help but show her amusement at his grouchiness, seeing evidence of it every now and then since they had been living together and thinking it made him all the cuter, though she was sure he wouldn't be too pleased that she thought so.
"Oh, come on, Scrooge." He rolled his eyes at her comment and she let out a loud burst of a laugh, then squeezed her hand against him. "It's only for a little while. Where's your Christmas spirit?"
She had an inkling that he wasn't quite as excited for the season as she was, probably humouring all of her giddiness to keep her happy. That was another of his completely adorable traits.
"Well, it's for kids, isn't it?" he replied offhand, raising his eyes at an inflatable snowman that looked as though it had a few too many cups of mulled wine, nearly tumbling into their path.
"I suppose I should take that as a compliment."
John's lips curved despite himself, seeing Anna beaming up at him underneath the shimmering lights, a sheen of mist falling upon her hair.
"Don't forget, I am a grumpy old man after all. Even older now," he huffed with a drawn out sigh. "It's only in keeping with my character."
Anna tutted loud enough for him to hear her; even if he was joking she was having no more of his self-deprecation. She looked up at him, her blue eyes yielding with gentle empathy, doing her best to be as sensitive as she could around the subject.
"You know as well as I do that 47 isn't anywhere near old. At least I didn't make you wear a badge," she smiled, happy when he returned it after a moment of holding back.
They strolled on, sharing a few laughs until they came to the end of the market, heading up towards Westminster to catch the tube back home, holding on tight to each other through the crowds.
"I hope you're not going to be like this all over Christmas," she said, only half-joking. "It's not going to be much fun otherwise."
As of yet they hadn't spoken about whether they'd be spending the holiday together, but Anna had taken it for granted that that would be the case. After all, they lived together now, and that was something most people did after they had had their first Christmas in each other's company. She had what she supposed was a rather sentimental picture in her mind and maybe that would have to alter slightly if John didn't quite share her enthusiasm. For one, he probably wouldn't want to watch cheesy made-for-TV Christmas movies with her in the run up, but she could let that one tradition slide, or otherwise do so with Gwen as she always had done before. But the other things she thought it would be nice for them to share as a couple. There was give and take in any relationship, and she was lucky they were as compatible as they were most of the time.
He turned to her with a smile upon his face, rubbing his hand over the sleeve of her coat.
"I'm not as bah humbug as you think I am," he said, his grin belying his earlier sentiments. "It's lovely for a week or two when it actually happens, seeing everyone, getting into the spirit and all that. But they drag it out for so long now that it loses all meaning. It's less about peace and joy and goodwill, and more about commercialism and how much you can drain your bank balance."
Anna bit back a laugh at his ranting, while agreeing with most of what he said. She looked up at him fondly, admiring his broad figure in the falling light, the way his cap was pulled down over his forehead to keep out the cold but that she was still able to see the burning embers of his irises as clear as day.
"Fair enough," she replied with a little bit of cheekiness and teasing in her tone, knowing that she could push him a little more than most people could without him taking offence. "So long as we can decorate the house a little before Christmas Eve. There is such a thing as taking it too far."
He smiled with his eyes at her, the tell-tale crinkles surfacing to indicate his joy, before he feigned indifference again, not fooling Anna one bit.
"Alright, alright. I'll get down to the shops at the end of the week and get a tree."
He thought he had said the right thing, until he saw a small frown appear on her face.
"Oh no, John Bates," she shrieked with exaggerated horror, unable to disguise her grin. "if you think I'm making do with a plastic tree you are very much mistaken. It has to be the real thing."
John arched his eyebrows, shoulders shrugging with defeat. "You are very demanding, Miss Smith. I don't think I've ever known anyone to be quite like it."
She tilted her head to the side as they came to a slow in front of the stairs leading down into the station. "It's not like I'm asking you to go out into the woods and cut one down with your bare hands."
He had to laugh at that, and felt a little affronted too – he expected that given the materials and half the chance, he'd make quite a good job of it. But then again they did live in London; there wasn't a great need for outdoor survival skills. Her eyes were alight with a fire all of her own, the kind that he cherished. He did love her when she showed that edge of feistiness.
"You know any wish of yours is my command," he replied, bowing in front of her a little as they descended the steps, making her giggle. "But you might want to come along for the ride. I can't risk my head picking out a potentially unfavourable tree for our humble abode."
Anna shook her head, smiling at the way he had started to flail his hands around. "That sounds fair."
As they reached the platform, full of Christmas shoppers with heaving bags, John circled Anna into his arms. She laughed, pulling his cap up momentarily to allow him to kiss her on the forehead.
"I've had a brilliant day. And an even better night." He growled his words purposely thinking of their endeavours hours ago, and the heat grew on Anna's cheeks.
"I'm glad," she replied sweetly, regaining some composure. "As long as it took your mind off things that you don't even need to worry about."
He gave her a little look before his lips curved into a smile, hands running down her sides.
"It did," he beamed towards her, the warmth of his smile making her heart leap. "And you always do, take my mind off all my stupid worries and fears. You make everything better, and I can never say how much."
She suddenly felt shy at his words, thinking she should have been the one to say the very same things to him after the past few weeks. She felt overwhelmingly happy too, catching his hand in hers, conveying all that she wanted to say to him in return in a single look.
"Christmas around the corner already," he remarked, seemingly to himself, before he fixed her with his glowing gaze again. "It hasn't even been a year since I've known you."
Anna let out a breath at that; it seemed strange somehow, that this was the first Christmas she'd had him in her life, let alone with them spending the time together. If she believed in such things, she would have sworn that they had known each other in a former life to be this comfortable with one another so soon.
His eyes were intent upon her; she felt that same feeling she'd experienced all those months ago surge up, leaving her dizzy and delirious and blissfully happy.
"Time flies when you're having fun," she said, furling her fingers against the collar of his coat. "And so much more than that."
He smiled at that, pulling her closer to him, brushing his lips against hers for a happy moment. They let the kiss linger a little longer before coming back to earth, eyes opening slowly.
"How can I not love it when I'm with you?" he said softly against her ear, the imprint of his lips leaving a smile upon her skin. "Because of that, I know I'll have the best Christmas to date."
Anna couldn't help but beam; she knew the magic would have its effect.
"Oh, for God's sake…"
Groans and mutters came from John at an uncountable rate, the previous statement one of the tamer offerings amongst words that were far more choice. The string of lights were coiled around his feet and he grappled with them heroically, despite the fact that they were hell bent on tripping him up before he fixed them onto the branches. It hadn't been the first pitfall that day; for a while it had seemed doubtful whether the tree would actually make it through the door, seeming to have grown in width by the time they'd got it home. It was a feat of endurance to get it inside but he had somehow managed it, and now it was onto the next stage of the obstacle course without even stopping for a cup of tea. Best to get it done in one go, he had argued. Now the frustration was starting to show as the dainty lights slipped from his large fingers, seeming to refuse to stay in place anywhere they were held.
From where she sat on the sofa and cradling a mug in her hands, Anna found it impossible to stifle her giggles, quickly met with an unimpressed glare from John.
"You can come and have a go, if you'd like," he offered, holding a strand of the fairy lights out in his hand towards her.
Anna shook her head firmly. "We agreed, I'm in charge of the baubles," she intoned cheekily, giving him a sweeter smile while she admired his work. "Besides, you're doing such a good job, I wouldn't want to stand in the way."
John gave her a roll of his eyes and a small smirk before he huffed loudly, returning to the task in hand.
Having rooted through the cardboard box of decorations laying next to her, Anna sighed contentedly, tearing her gaze away from John as he twisted this way and that around the huge tree. She picked up the few cards that were on the table, taking them one by one from their envelopes. One had already been opened, rather messily, and she pondered the scrawl inside the card carefully.
"Who are Patrick and Niamh?" she asked aloud, thinking that she might have had an idea already.
John reappeared from behind the tree, keeping his concentration focused. "My younger brother and his wife. They're up in Cork. Always one of the first to arrive every year."
Anna smiled taking in the handwriting. From its neat, cursive style she imagined that Niamh must have been the one to write out the cards, but the message was very much that of a cheeky but loving brother. She wondered, briefly, whether she would ever get to meet his brothers, or any other members of his family. If he was anything to go by, she could only imagine that the family he had come from had been wonderful, no matter what troubles might have come and gone over the years.
She looked up from the card to see a hint of regret passing over John's features.
"Every year he always says that I should come down the next year, and I reply and say yeah, sure. But it's one of those things…" he glanced down at the floor, a hand passing through his hair as he sighed. "I'm never a hundred per cent sure that it's not just an empty gesture, something you say at this time of year because you're obliged to. I mean, knowing Pat it's not, but I don't know. How do you know whether too much time has passed?"
Anna's face crumpled as she looked at him, clearly hurting still about the loss of contact with his brothers. He didn't deserve to be carrying such guilt around with him, not when so much of it hadn't been his fault.
"I'm sure they both have let it pass under the bridge years before now," she said softly and soothingly, smiling wider when his eyes flickered with hope up towards hers. "You don't have to make any promises, but maybe you can think about it properly for next year?" Her eyebrows curved upwards as she considered, being slightly cheeky but knowing that he'd take it in the best way. "I have always wanted to go to the Emerald Isle, you know."
The weight relaxed from his shoulders and a winning smile eased across his face. Though he said nothing more on the subject, Anna had a feeling that she'd been able to reassure him, if only just a little.
Spurred on by a new burst of determination, John finally got the better of the lights, and it seemed that in no time at all they were secured onto the tree, already looking prouder for starting to have been appropriately dressed. Anna giggled as he strolled over to the sofa, very chivalrously offering her his hand to pull herself up while she held the box containing the baubles under her other arm. Together they started to hang them onto the branches, John leaving most of it to Anna as she had insisted so fervently but concentrating on the top reaches where she wasn't able to get to, even on tiptoes. Anna was aglow with the cosiness of it all, getting their house ready for Christmas while the fire roared across the other side of the room, and she couldn't stop smiling about it all.
"Rob was asking about Christmas Day," John broke the comfortable silence that had settled between them, threading decorations around the top of the tree. "I assume that my usual offer to go around for the whole day still stands with him." Anna could feel his eyes rested upon her, and she was fighting back her smile as she tried her best to focus on what she was doing. The silence slipped back for a few moments before he continued. "Do you know what your family are doing for Christmas yet?"
She met his eyes swiftly, slightly taken aback with the spark that seemed even stronger between them at this very second.
"Mum is off on a cruise from Christmas Eve, and she's taking Sam with her," she twisted the gold thread from the bauble she was holding around her finger, causing her skin to turn redder by the second. "It's Beth's turn to go to Stuart's family, and I think she's staying there until New Year. So," she paused to take a deep breath, "I suppose that leaves me homeless."
Anna looked up to see John smiling at her, a slight blush visible upon his cheeks.
"That makes two of us, then," he replied, his tone rising to finish his sentence.
"How very convenient."
They shared a smile with one another, with no further questions that needed to be asked or promises made. Even despite everything, the huge commitment they had already made by living under the same roof, Anna felt her insides do somersaults. She'd get to spend her favourite day of the year with the man she was madly in love with, for the first time since she had known him. She couldn't have imagined anything better; already, it had even seemed to surpass the Christmas she had got a Barbie dream mansion when she was eight years old. She laughed at the thought, glancing up to see that John was wearing a mirror image of her smile, though she imagined his may have been marginally less daft.
"I'll have to let Rob down gently," he remarked with a little smirk, "He'll be gutted we won't be able to duet on karaoke, although I don't know if I can say the same."
"Oh, I can't miss that," Anna exclaimed, a mischievous smile curving her lips. "Mary said they'll all be round for the evening, so maybe we can pop along then."
"Is the prospect of spending a whole day with me that bad you'd go to those lengths to get out of it?" John questioned, making Anna's attempts at keeping a straight face useless when he waved a finger at her with a woollen snowman bobbing from it.
"Of course not. I'll just be sad that I won't get to see you do your thing on the microphone, never having had the pleasure before." She wore her best pout and puppy eyes, before she couldn't resist cracking into a smirk. "And who knows," she purred a little seductively, "I might just do a little show in return, if you're that good."
With that, John's expression swiftly changed, and he couldn't stop himself from slipping behind her, giving her waist a soft squeeze. Anna hummed her contentment at the contact, angling her hips further into his palms before pulling back, giving him a smile over her shoulder before she returned to bringing the last few decorations out from the box.
She spotted the silver tissue paper at one of the corners, and her heart sunk a little with sadness when she brought it into her hand, remembering what was inside. Anna unfurled the paper gently to reveal the delicate little hand-crafted snowflake, pure white brushed with silver. It had stood out to her from one of the cabins they had passed in the winter market a few days back; somehow, it had brought back thoughts and briefly-made memories of their baby, though they were never far from her heart. She had had a compulsion to buy it; she didn't want to push it to the back of her mind, it would help them both to remember, though they would always have each other's support.
He must have heard her sigh, as John's arms came around her again as she balanced the small decoration in her palm. Anna glanced around to see his slightly sad smile, knowing that he knew. She leant into him as he pressed a long, soft kiss to her cheek, tracing the snowflake with a finger.
"The two of us, for now," he uttered softly to her.
She smiled as she placed the little snowflake pride of place on the tree, and then found her way back to John's arms, hugging close and grazing her lips against his.
"And it'll be perfect," she said with all the certainty in the world.
Christmas started at seven o'clock on Christmas Eve, when Anna finished work for the holidays, finally. She had been back for just over a month and despite taking it a little bit easier, as everyone around her wished her to do, December was always the busiest time of year and it felt like she had to cram three months of planning, preparation and execution of events themselves into two weeks. She closed the door with a heavy sigh of relief, nearly slumping to the ground with exhaustion. John had been ready to catch her, coming into the hallway with a smile and a pair of her fluffiest slippers in hand, which she made a fervent grasp for.
After having her bath and something to eat, they curled on the sofa with more snacks. It's A Wonderful Life played out in front of them, Anna snuggling a little further into John's arms and wiping away a few tears at the same parts that always made her cry. She expected John to smile at how silly she was being but as his embrace tightened around her she looked up to see that his eyes were misty too.
They remained on the sofa for a little while after the closing music had played. Shifting herself, feeling John's hand on her shoulder and then in her hair, Anna grinned. She was feeling much more festive than she had been only hours ago, stressing about whether everything was ready for an important client's New Year's party. The clock was edging closer to half past eleven and she could have stayed there all night.
"Do you have any traditions that I should know about for tomorrow?" John's voice was low in her ear, his arm held around her still.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied, her head lolling comfortably against his shoulder. "Presents first thing, before dinner; no waiting about. But we were always allowed to open just one before going to bed on Christmas Eve."
In the next moment she was on the edge of her seat with excitement, remembering the ritual that came from her childhood. The soft glow from the tree and the lights from the garland hanging on the fireplace were the only things illuminating the room and Anna scrabbled forward on her knees beneath the tree, picking out a present each for them.
She was shaking the little box she had chosen for herself curiously while John tore the paper from his. Anna began to laugh at the look on his face as he held up the socks in his hands.
"Well, you can never have too many," she got out between her giggles, and John soon relented, a smile coming onto his face as he noticed the Manchester United crest on the reverse. He turned his attention to watching Anna as she struggled to get into the wrapping, and then unfurled the box carefully when she had succeeded.
She gasped at the pearl and diamond earrings, a beaming smile lighting her face.
"I hope they're the right ones," he said with slight trepidation in his voice, washed away when she aimed the beautiful smile towards him.
"They are indeed," she exclaimed, pleased but not at all surprised that John had taken notice of the way she had been gazing into the window of the jewellers repeatedly when they had passed. "Thank you so much."
Sinking her fingers into his hair, causing a muffled groan to emerge from him, she met his mouth in a kiss that spoke of passion as much as it did gratitude. Their tongues danced delicately with one another before John took her forearms into his hands, bringing it to an end a little breathlessly.
"Come on, we can't get carried away," he said, earning a look of confusion and frustration from Anna. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, smiling. "There's all the excitement of tomorrow to come yet. And we wouldn't want to be caught by Father Christmas."
Anna erupted into laughter, standing from his lap and taking his hand into hers. John followed her without any further persuasion, guiding her steps up the staircase as their hands remained entwined.
"Okay then. But my mum and dad made us go to bed early every Christmas Eve, and it never made the morning arrive any quicker."
Any other words she could say were stopped short by the look in his eyes, burning like candles in the darkness.
"Patience," he uttered simply, brushing his lips with hers before they climbed into bed.
Not many hours later Anna lay wide awake, tingles of anticipation gathered in her stomach. It was silly, she knew, but it seemed she would never grow out of the excitement of Christmas. At least the light that was inching its way into the room told her that it wasn't ridiculously early, and she took her fascinated eyes from regarding John peacefully half-slumbering to take in the time at the bedside. Half past nine: that was quite long enough; she'd been alert from at least seven. She leaned up from the bed, placing a soft kiss on John's forehead, hearing him mutter as he came around properly.
Anna was out of the bed by the time he had blinked himself awake, leaving a draught climbing into the warm space she had vacated. John wore a sleepy, amused smile looking at her hopping on the spot, hair bouncing about her.
"Don't I get a kiss first?" he mumbled hoarsely, smiling when she came back over, pressing her lips to his for a kiss that was wonderfully languid and not at all rushed.
"There," Anna said with delighted dreaminess in her voice. He had enough time to savour the feel and scent of her, contented from sleep but with a special charm about her that came from being so thrilled. She was tugging his hand out of the covers with impatience, and he couldn't drag it out much longer.
He got into his slippers and robe, regarding Anna as she stood by the door like a coiled spring, not wanting to go down without him.
"Breakfast first?" he quipped teasingly, which only drew forth dejected mewls from Anna. He laughed, kissing her again, moulding against her, before he linked his fingers with hers, throwing the door open. "Lead the way," he smiled, her enthusiasm utterly infectious and making him feel like a child again too.
All of the presents were opened, taking more time than John had expected given Anna's previous seeming ability not to stay still for more than ten seconds. Anna stuffed the wrapping paper that was strewn across the floor into a couple of carrier bags as John prepared breakfast and they enjoyed it happily, Anna's appetite having grown from all the energy she had expended. He warned her not to have too much, saying she would need to save room for the feast he was planning for dinner, the turkey already in the oven and creating a delectable smell around the kitchen.
Anna sneaked a couple of chocolates from the tin before she went to change from her pyjamas. Standing on the first stair, she watched John putting on a jumper, a cardboard box laden with goods at his feet in the hallway. She had noticed it piling up over the last couple of weeks and she wondered exactly what it was for. Before she could enquire, he fixed her with a smile, hefting the box into his hands.
"Mrs Berry next door," he explained, and now it seemed obvious. "Her husband died the year after I moved in and ever since then I've made up a little hamper. It seems the least that can be done."
John was nearly knocked from his feet by Anna rushing forth, craning to leave a sound kiss upon his cheek.
"John Bates, you are an utterly wonderful man," she exclaimed, pride glowing upon her face. Anna couldn't fail to notice that he had started to burn red with her attentions, smiling modestly at her as she rocked back onto her heels.
"I'm glad you think so," he mumbled, appearing completely adorable before he made his way out. "Now keep an eye on the potatoes, make sure they don't get burnt."
Anna nodded with a smile; that was one aspect she thought she could manage.
When he arrived back, nothing had burnt down or boiled over but John had to work hard to take hold of his faculties when he was greeted with the sight of Anna in a dark blue, figure-hugging lace dress. She smiled when she beheld his captivation, looping her arms around his neck and kissing his astonishment away. Reluctantly he went back to the task at hand, barely stopping the sighs from leaving him as Anna sashayed away to set the table, dancing a little and singing along to Top of the Pops on the TV. As he started to bring everything out, he smiled to see that she was wearing a headband with a tiny top hat to the side and was turning over a gold glittery bowler hat in her hands. He laughed it off, stooping to her height so she could place it on his crown, and dismissed the remark she made about it being better than most of the regular hats he owned.
Dinner was indeed a feast; Anna held her hands over her stomach as she made her way through the last roast potato on her plate, wishing she would have worn something a little less restrictive. Just to her left side John looked very pleased with his efforts, already remarking of all the things he could rustle up with the leftover turkey that would keep them going for days. She couldn't do much more for a little while except smile at him and say again how delicious it had been. He shrugged off her compliments, commenting that he was glad it could match up to the rest of the day for her.
After what seemed like an age, Anna made to get up from her chair with the intentions of washing and tidying everything away. John held his hands out towards her, signalling for her to stay where she was, while he dashed up and into the front room. Anna turned around as best she could to follow his movements but couldn't quite do so, and she was pleasantly surprised when she saw him come back holding a sprig of mistletoe.
"Irish tradition," he said as she looked slightly puzzled. "After Christmas dinner, you'd get the mistletoe and kiss whoever was at the right hand side of you. It wasn't fun if it was one of your old uncles, I can tell you that much."
Anna giggled, thinking it seemed rather daft and unlike anything she'd ever heard, but then who was she to argue with tradition? They'd observed enough of hers, after all.
"And would you look at where you're sitting," he near enough growled, and she tried to prolong the waiting for as long as she could, but his lips were on hers before she could think any more, slow and insistent at first but then growing in intensity. Anna sighed into his mouth, grabbing at the hair at the nape of his neck as the kiss deepened and she surrendered to it completely, the most wonderful shivers surging through her body.
John's tongue teased across her bottom lip before it came to a close, leaving her in a bit of a daze. Opening her eyes she saw that he was fighting hard to bite back a mischievous grin. She gasped when she realised, the shock not quite as effective when she had enjoyed it so much.
"John Bates, you cheeky beggar, you were having me on!" she shrieked, beginning to laugh when he did the same. "There's no such thing."
He shrugged his shoulders, looking sheepish for a moment.
"I didn't think you'd question it," he smirked, his free hand moving over her knee languidly. "And who says we can't start some traditions of our own?"
Anna narrowed her eyes at him, snatching the mistletoe from his grasp and holding it out of his reach, slowly smiling when she relaxed, leaning back towards him and tracing her fingers over his jaw.
"As long as I get the next kiss, then I'll agree to it."
Anna sank with a sigh against the pillows, leaning against the headboard of the bed. In the dim light that was coming from the bedside lamp she watched John perched at the end of the bed, his back rippling as he craned down to take off his shoes and socks. She wiggled her toes that were aching a little bit against the brushed bedsheets, tired but happy from the day that had just been.
They'd just about managed to tear themselves away from each other and the comfort of the house to make it out and round to Robert and Cora's for the evening for the Crawley family's annual Christmas Day gathering. It was just the immediate family, and Robert made a point of clambering on John as they got through the door, lamenting about how it hadn't seemed like a proper Christmas without him there, him being as good as part of the family. John had turned to Anna and commented that Robert must have been at the sherry, before returning the gesture by getting his best friend in a bear hug.
They had been back for about half an hour, being as polite as they could to Cora when she insisted that it was fine if they stayed for the night, that room could be found somewhere. Both shared a secret smile with one another, knowing that they wanted to see out Christmas Day the same way as they had started it - just the two of them.
John was on his feet now, unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt. He caught her smile as she tilted her head to the side, knowing instinctively what the laughs starting to teem from her were about. The look he gave her wasn't enough to stop her, shaking under the duvet that she had pulled up around her while she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I'll never be able to hear that song in the same way again," she spluttered between her giggles. "Was it Rob's choice to do Don't Go Breaking My Heart?"
He wrinkled his forehead, shaking his head at her laughter.
"I think we gave a rather fine rendition," he said puffing out his chest proudly, untucking his shirt from his trousers. Lowering his voice, he turned back round to meet Anna's amused gaze in the next second. "Just that it doesn't go further than these four walls."
"You know you can trust me to keep your guilty secrets," she smirked, running a finger over her chest to cross her heart. His smile held her captivated, and she had the urge to kiss it from his face except that she was far too comfortable to move. "What a night it was," she yawned, the day's activities catching up with her for a moment as she stretched out in the bed. "I can see why you enjoyed it so much all these years."
John gave her a look as if to say 'not as much as I enjoy being with you', beaming towards her.
"Nobody can ever say the Crawleys don't know how to do Christmas," he exclaimed, and then frowned a little while he removed his belt. "Though they should give the charades a rest. I thought we'd be there until next Christmas waiting for someone to put Mary out of her misery."
"You try acting out Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," Anna replied, stifling a further giggle when she thought of how Mary had nearly gone mad during her very long turn.
John chuckled too. "Tom told me that he'd picked it out purposely, just to wind her up."
"Silly chump," Anna laughed, burrowing herself further against the propped up pillows.
John heard her let out a prolonged sigh and he turned around from where he stood facing the wardrobe to see what the matter was.
"It's stupid of me," she said before he could ask anything, shrugging her head upon the pillows, stealing a look at the alarm clock beside her. "I'm like this every year, I always get a bit sad when Christmas Day is over." She looked unbelievably cute to him with the sorrowful little pout upon her face, although it faded and changed into a smile the longer she kept her eyes locked with his. "And this year I'm even sadder than usual, because today has been wonderful."
The smile that was in her eyes melted his heart; he had felt exactly the same, it hadn't been just one of the best Christmases he had had, but one of the best days he could recall too. To spend the whole day with her, this gorgeous and amazing woman who had brought so much joy into his life without even knowing what she was capable of, it made it all the more special.
He stood for a few moments with his hand on the top drawer of the cabinet, not quite sure what was making him hesitate. Probably because in his mind, in all of his imaginings that had grown of late, this scenario wouldn't have come to him at all. The more he turned it over, the more it seemed to make sense to him. The feeling of certainty settled within him, as well as a terrific bout of nerves, and he smiled at himself in the mirror out of Anna's sight, opening the drawer and seizing the box in his palm.
She began to groan softly again while he took a deep breath, gathering himself and talking himself through it.
"What's taking you so long?" she asked, the need for him coating her voice heavily. "Come and get into bed. I'm starting to feel quite lonely."
"We can't have that," he said, unable to keep the smile from his voice. Turning round, he couldn't fail to notice how beautiful she looked completely natural and free from make-up, her hair tumbled on her shoulders, wrapped in the bedcovers. "I just realised, completely foolish of me, there was a present I forgot to give you. I was looking for something else just now and came across it, I don't know how it could have slipped my mind."
He fought desperately to stop his smile becoming any wider just for the moment, but it was a feat.
"You've spoilt me so much already, you should save it." Anna told him off a little, though the look of intrigue and eagerness in her gaze said that she wasn't willing to wait for another time to find out what it was.
"I didn't even have time to wrap it properly, I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter," she smiled at him, tilting her head before she took up the box from his hands carefully. His thumb stroked over her hand and she looked at him, trying to second guess what could possibly be inside. Not willing to give anything away, John simply smiled back at her, struck again by how stunning she was, and how he was the luckiest man on earth to be with her.
It seemed like she prised open the box in slow motion, and John watched carefully as her face contorted with so many different emotions. She was gazing down at the ring, speechless thinking about how beautiful it was.
"Oh John, it's…"
She stopped almost as quickly as she begun, the realisation coming across her. John felt like his heart might have stopped waiting for her to meet his eyes again. His hands were shaking and his mouth was so dry it was like he had swallowed a desert.
"Mr Bates," he shivered to hear her using his formal name at this moment in time, "is this a proposal?"
Anna gasped in a breath to find her question answered without words, as John was down on one knee at the side of the bed next to her. The smile came naturally to her face, and much to her surprise, she began to giggle.
"That wasn't quite the reaction I was hoping for," he said, a little chuckle sounding in his own voice as he stayed looking up at her.
"I'm sorry, I just…I…wow…I…,"
Words were completely lost to her and instead she kept her gaze on John, feeling his fingers sweep over her hand gently as he intervened.
"Anna, words can't begin to describe the way I have felt since the day I met you. God knows I've tried to come up with them, in so many different combinations, but nothing I can say can ever match up to the way I feel about you."
He smiled as he linked his fingers in hers softly for a few moments, hearing her begin to sniff back tears. He felt bad that he was making her cry, but it was for the best reason there could possibly be, and it was getting hard for him to hold back all of his emotion too. Looking up at her, he saw that she was wearing the most beautiful smile he had ever seen in all of his life.
"You have changed my life, completely. I can't even remember how things were before you, and I never want to know life without you. These past few weeks, being with you, beginning to make our home," his voice started to crack a little and he was glad for Anna's dainty hand brushing over his, giving him all of her strength and conviction as usual, "I have never been happier and I have never known anything more perfect. You are absolutely perfect anyway, but to me…you mean the world."
She was holding her other hand to her mouth, covering her breathtaking smile. When it was revealed to him again, he had never felt so alive. Her eyes were sparkling brighter than a million stars.
John took another deep breath to fill his body, studying the unbelievable way her hand fit so perfectly in his before he looked back up at her.
"If you let me, I will spend the rest of my life making you as ecstatically happy as you have made me."
After so long staying silent, beyond her own nature, Anna spoke softly.
"You have already made me so."
John couldn't stop a tear falling from his eye now; he would never be able to fathom how she had been made so very perfect.
"I suppose what this is leading up to, is to say that if you were to do so, you would do me the biggest honour there could ever be by saying you will be my wife."
Now that he had said it, they both erupted into smiles that were wide enough to split their faces. Though there was the overwhelming urge to take her into his arms and kiss her until time came to an end, he had to ask properly.
"Anna May Smith," he said, smiling with every breath he took, "will you marry me?"
Anna was unable to resist, bringing herself forward to kiss him with so much sweet tenderness that he thought it might have vanished him.
"Yes," she said, nodding her head to affirm her answer all the more as she pulled back, "yes, of course I will. I have dreamed of this for so long."
She was barely able to hold back the tears of joy as she let John take her left hand, his fingers trembling slightly as he slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, and she almost couldn't believe it; already she felt changed beyond compare.
Smiling at her, he rubbed his fingers over the dainty band, before his hands slid up to her face, hazel eyes bound to blue ones.
"Oh love, you've made me the happiest man alive."
He crushed his lips softly onto hers, enveloping her in another breathtaking kiss, letting himself fall into all of her wonder. His Anna, his fiancée. He was almost unable to believe it was all real.
John was almost laid out the length of the bed now, and Anna giggled at the sight of him draped across the top of the covers. Neither was unable to stop staring at one another, or smiling at each other.
He shifted himself to sit up next to her, holding her hand in his, the cool metal of her engagement ring pressed firm against his skin. The moment had passed so quickly, though they were still caught up in the afterglow of it, and likely would be for a while.
"That probably wasn't the most romantic way of doing it," John chortled, completely lost in the beauty of her eyes. "I swear, I did think of many other, probably far better, ways."
Anna was shaking her head softly, her hand gliding across his cheek.
"I know they wouldn't have been better," she said sincerely, the clear blue of her irises bathing him. "This is exactly where I wanted it to be, right here. Because this is how I want the rest of our lives to be. In our home, with each other. With so much more to come."
John could do nothing but smile at that, sharing the sentiment wholeheartedly and thinking again of how right she always was, amazed by her every single second.
Yet neither of them could have guessed how wonderful this Christmas would be.