A/N: I just want to thank all of you that have reviewed and read this so far. I was so happy to see everyone was enjoying this idea. I realize I kind of left Anna's mother out of this chapter, but we really came here for John and Anna (let's be honest). A big thanks again to a-lady-to-me and terriejane for reading through this and helping me out with developing this story. Hope you all enjoy and please review.

Part III

They had made it back to their cottage and Anna proudly walked her mother around their home, showing off their little garden that was in full bloom and the curtains that she and John had recently hung up. John had used his last half day to paint the spare room in anticipation of her arrival, taking heed of Anna's warning that there was to be no involvement of ladders. But with the news of their little bundle of joy on the way Anna was left with no choice when John insisted she was not to climb any ladders. She gladly accepted her fate, but was happy to bring him some fresh biscuits as he toiled away up there. "At least we'll have the painting out of the way for when the little one arrives," he had commented. The beaming smile that fixed itself on Anna's face after the words fell from his mouth took his breath away. It led to a very heated kiss, followed by a quick trip to the bedroom.

That happy moment seemed like a distant memory when his mother-in-law walked into the spare room to get herself settled in. The unimpressed look on her face said it all and when she described it as 'quaint' John had to exit the room before he let his sharp tongue get the better of him.

John had been outside chopping wood for about twenty minutes before Anna wandered into the yard to check on him, "John?" she asked in a soft voice. She knew her mother had been trying his patience and she was caught in the middle trying to play peace maker.

"Mhmm," John replied back as he steadied his hand to take another swing.

Anna wiped her wet hands on her apron as she stood just off the porch. "What do you think you're doing?" Anna asked as she shielded her eyes from the setting sun.

He dislodged the bit of the ax from the piece of wood he was working on and pulled back to swing again. "Chopping wood. What does it look like?" he countered sounding a bit out of breath. A bead of sweat began to trail down the side of his brow.

Anna took in his appearance and bit on her lower lip when she noticed that his sleeves were rolled up, showcasing his forearms. His jacket and vest had been discarded on the porch, neatly folded on his rocking chair. the only thing separating him from her lingering stare was his dress shirt. His arms moved with precision and caused his shoulder blades to flex with each hack of the blade He let out a guttural groan when the ax met the wood and watch how his lips curled with a sense of pride as the wood split in two. John finally removed his braces in frustration; they were holding him back. He pulled the ax behind his back and let the handle rest parallel with his shoulder blades, it stretched his muscles and made his chest seem broader. His large hands curled around the handle as he stared down the next piece of wood that he mounted on a stump in the yard. There was something very animalistic the way he walked around the stump, like he was circling his prey. He finally stopped in a different position, lined up his shot, and let a full blow rip from his core down to his arms. A sound like thunder claps filled the air. This time the wood broke in one swing. John gave a silent nod of approval as he removed a handkerchief from his back pocket to wipe at his brow.

"I was just thinking, it's not cold enough for a fire," she replied. Her eyes were still tracking him and she felt her heart beat quicken when his eyes met hers. That devilish lock of hair fell from the rest and hung above his eye. She immediately tried to shake her head of such thoughts while her mother was visiting.

"I know," he replied before returning the handkerchief to his pocket. John leaned over, exposing his backside to her as he grabbed another piece of wood from the pile and placed it on the stump.

"Is she that unbearable?" she asked. Though she ventured she already knew the answer to that question.

John had been in the middle of a swing when he let the blade fall at his side, he pursed his lips together as he chose his words wisely. "You told me once you could bear anything but to be without me," he said. "I think the least I can do is bear your mother for another thirteen days."

Anna smirked as she restrained a giggle, hoping her mother hadn't overheard him. She walked over to John and placed a kiss on his bottom lip, "Just don't stay out here too long. Dinner is on the stove."

As she walked away John couldn't help but stare at her. How had he been so lucky to land such a woman? How had she managed to look past all his flaws and choose to marry him? Maybe he would never know, but he didn't mind spending the rest of his life with her trying to figure it out.

Dinner had gone as smoothly as it could have. John mostly sat in silence while he let Anna and her mother get reaquainted. He'd chime in here and there but only when approached, which was usually due to Anna. After dinner he had offered to help Anna with the dishes and then headed upstairs to wash up after working up a sweat chopping the wood.

John was pleasantly surprised when he emerged from the washroom and found Anna already in her chemise and braiding her hair. "I didn't expect you to be up here so soon, I thought you'd want to knit or stay up and play a game of cards with your mother," he said.

"Mother wanted to head to bed early, she said she was exhausted from her trip," Anna explained. She had just put a ribbon in place when she caught his reflection in the mirror and noticed the smile creep up on his face.

He had always been oddly fascinated with her hair. Probably because the first few years that they had known each other he couldn't admit his feelings for her aloud. And he had no right to ask any more of her. Then when they had laid their cards out on the table he didn't do it for fear of messing it up and causing suspicion among their coworkers. Her hair was always held within the confines of her 'itchy hats' as she called them. She had allowed him to touch it once or twice before they were married, when they were able to steal a moment or two away from the rest of the staff. It wasn't until their wedding night that she had finally been able to let her hair down for him and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

"What?" Anna asked as she turned to face him.

John slowly lowered himself onto the bed while still maintaining eye contact, "Nothing. I was just thinking how gorgeous you look right now," he answered back in a rough voice. He interlocked his fingers and let his hands come to rest on his stomach.

"Well take a good look," Anna said as she stood from the seat in front of her vanity, "soon I will be as big as a house and you'll hardly recognize me."

"My darling, I will still look at you then like I do now. In fact, I'm certain I will adore you even more."

Anna walked over to the full length mirror and did a small turn as she scanned her body for any noticeable changes. She ran her hand across her stomach and pulled her gown a little tighter, searching for some sign of life beneath the surface. "Can you tell yet?" she asked John sweetly.

"Not from far away and certainly not with your many layers on," he answered honestly.

"Do you think my mother suspects?"

"I think she was more focused on me than she was on you," he joked. John extended his arm and held his hand out to reach her and waved for her to come closer and join him on the bed. Anna let her head drop a little and stared at the floor. "Anna, it's fine. I would expect nothing less. She's your mother and she's only concerned with your well being. She has every right to be suspicious of me given our unorthodox courtship and rushed wedding."

"Really? I just felt so horrible for you, having to field all her questions earlier," she said as she wiped at her eye with the back of her hand.

"Come here my love," John said as he tried to scoot closer to her side of the bed. He held his arms wide open to receive her and loved the way her scent filled his brain when her weight crushed against him. John ran a hand across her back and smoothed her hair before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Your mother and I may not be best friends, but we'll work it out for you and the baby," he assured her.

"Why are you so good to me?" she asked with her head tilted up to see him properly.

"Because you are deserving of it. And you have shown me nothing but kindness and love since the moment we met," he expressed simply. "Please don't worry about it my darling, it's not good for you or the baby."

"I'll try," Anna said as she snuggled deeper into his side and wrapped her arms around his middle. John kissed her twice more on the top of her head for good measured and she smiled at the feel of his warm lips against her hair. "I'm sorry. I got your shirt all wet," Anna said.

"It's just a shirt. The important thing is do you feel better?" he asked.

"I do," she replied with a smile.

"Then it was worth it," he answered back.

Anna suddenly had a thought cross her mind and she began unbuttoning his undershirt.

"Anna...what are you doing?"

"I'm getting you out of that shirt," she said resolutely.

"Anna, your mother is just down the hall," he was suddenly whispering. But the feel of her nails dragging up against his skin felt heavenly and he was losing the urge to argue with her.

"Well, she's probably fast asleep by now," she replied with a wicked grin.

"Darling, not that I'm not enjoying these heightened days of passion that you are experiencing, but…"

Her lips pressed against his as she ran his fingers through his hair and cradled his head closer to hers. She was now sitting in his lap with her legs straddling him on either side. "But what?" she asked when she pulled away. "Does it bother you that your wife desires you so?" she all but growled into his ear as she nipped at his collar bone and freed the last of the buttons. Anna urged him forward and removed the shirt so she could get a better view of his hairy chest. She promptly tossed it on the floor across the room.

"To be quite honest I'm still pinching myself and finding it hard to believe I have a wife who desires me so," he replied. John ran his rough hands down the side of her smooth legs and calves that were perched on either side of him.

"Believe," Anna whispered into his mouth as she sunk down on top of him, clenching the heel of her foot against his hips. She felt him smile against her mouth and began to slip the strap of her chemise off of her shoulder.

John pulled her flush against his body and helped her with the other strap when he whispered back in a husky voice, "You naughty girl."

The both broke into a fit of giggles and immediately covered their mouths, hoping to to avoid any questions from her mother the following morning. "Yes, but I'm your naughty girl, Mr. Bates," Anna shot back as she extended the letters of his surname. He put an end to her teasing by kissing her once more. The two of them were happier than they could ever imagine within the safety of these four walls.