A/N : The story of this chapter is the story of Emma writing it while on the train back home after classes. Emma took a train in the direction of the Charles de Gaulle Airport and the city she lives in is on this line. But Emma was so absorbed by what she was writing that she missed her train station and was heading straight to the CDG airport. Thankfully, the train stopped at the station just after her actual station so Emma just took the train in the other way. I dearly hope you appreciate this chapter.

Kinda big chapter because I have to make Anna and John's relationship progress but I don't have much time these days and I have a timeline I want to stick to (i don't know if I'll stick to it completely...)

It was the end of September. John had been at Downton Abbey High School for a month. He had a good relationship with everyone at the school. Especially Anna and her friends, though Thomas had still not warmed to him, there was no hostility between the two of them, much to Anna's joy. The friendship she had with each of them was really dear to her, so they tried to get along for her sake. Anna and John had become really close in this spam of time. They found they had a great deal in common, even with their age gap. They were both interested in books and period dramas. They would chat a lot about them, annoying their friends while doing so. Gwen always moaned they let Thomas and her third wheeling at lunch, which caused Anna to groan. Her and John were simply friends with common interests, it was normal to enjoy chatting with each other about them. Anna was the perfect person for John right now, she was a light in the current darkness he lived through. She was always the kindest to him. She was sometimes flirty and it made him feel something he hadn't felt in years. She was the best friend he had ever had - aside from Robert - and he really enjoyed her brightness and her friendship.

Together, Anna and John, had created a book club at the school for the students. Every Friday afternoon - which was Anna's free time in her schedule - , they would gather in the library to talk about the book they were currently reading. They had decided that each month they would give a theme, and the children would have to read a book fitting it. For now, only three children had shown up : Rose Maclare - who often visited John in the library to discuss books -, William Mason - who was Mr Mason's adopted son - and Albert Crawford. The three of them got along pretty well with each other but also with John and Anna. Anna saw Rose and Albert as her younger siblings. John had warmed to William, he treated the boy like his own son. The five of them were quite the team. When William had been bullied by Mrs O'Brien nephew, Alfred, they proved to be real friends to each others.

John had witnessed William crying in a corner of the library one day.

"Hey, is everything alright son ?" He asked.

"Quite alright, Mr Bates. Thank you" the boy replied, drying up his tears.

"You're sure ? Has Rose rejected you ?" John teased.

"I'm not in love with her, Mr Bates. It's nothing" he said, running out of the library.

Anna, who entered the library at the same time, to have lunch with John and her friends like everyday, saw him leaving in tears.

"Hello, John" she greeted with a smile.

" 'Sup, Anna ?" He replied with the same smile.

What's wrong with him ?" She asked.

"Search me" He shrugged his shoulders.

Later that day, Rose - who was in William's class - came to see Anna in her classroom.

"Miss Smith, I need your help. William's getting bullied" she said very seriously.

"What ? What do you mean, Rose ? By who ?"

"Alfred Nugent. Miss O'Brien's nephew"

"Like aunt, like nephew" Anna whispered before following Rose to see William, who had hidden in the library.

"Don't worry, Will" Anna told him softly, stroking his back as he was crying in the corner of their meeting room. "I'll see Miss O'Brien. I assure you if Alfred comes near you again he'll get sacked" John, who had entered the room, gave Anna a quizzical look.

"He's been bullied by Alfred Nugent. I'll see his Aunt" she explained before leaving the room.

"His Aunt ?" He asked but she had already left.

"Our math teacher, Miss O'Brien," Rose clarified. John sighed. So far, he had managed to avoid her but if his nephew bullied William, she would surely learn about his presence here.

Anna was standing in front of Miss O'Brien, her hands were on her hips and she looked very pissed.

"Listen, Sarah. Your nephew may think he is the King of this school because of your position but that doesn't give him the right to bully the other children" she told the older woman who didn't seem to care.

"And being the boss's daughter's bestie doesn't give you the right to lecture me" O'Brien sneered.

"I came here as William's head teacher. I will not tolerate any bullying perpetrated against my students so I ask you to watch your nephew" Anna clapped back, her chin up.

"I can see why Thomas appreciates you. You know how to stand your grounds" O'Brien smirked. Anna huffed, she found the woman so annoying.

"My friendship with Thomas isn't the point in this conversation. The point is : educate your boy !" Anna ordonned before leaving the room. However, before she did, O'Brien called her.

"I heard you're a friend of John Bates" Anna turned around, looking at the bitter lady.

"Yeah, John and I work together. What's it to you ?" Anna said but passed the threshold.

"I am friends with his wife," O'brien replied, making Anna freeze for a second. She walked away but was confused. John never told her he was married. Not that it was any of her business, but she thought they were friends and friends shared that kind of stuff.

Since that day, Alfred hadn't bullied William. Rose would always sit beside him in class to make sure no one would annoy him. She was quite the fierce lady. Concerning what O'Brien had revealed to Anna, the subject had never been brushed between John and Anna. If he wanted to tell her, he would. She also had things she had never told him. Talking about O'Brien, she had made herself known to John. She liked to make remarks about him during lunch breaks. Today was no exception.

As usual, John and Anna walked to the teacher's room to grab their lunch before heading to the lunchroom. Gwen had been ill for a week, and Thomas had taken it as his chance to spend his lunch break with his boyfriend Jimmy. Jimmy also worked at the school as an overseer. His colleague, Andy, had kindly exchanged his round with him so Jimmy had his free lunch break. Which left Anna and John to eat alone.

"Alone at last", John said when they entered an empty lunchroom, which caused Anna's heart to skip a beat. It was the first time they were alone at lunch and she didn't know why but this made her nervous. She had no reason to, John was one of her best friends. Everything was so natural when they were together. However, it didn't stop John's heart to also skip a beat when he saw her in a very nice tailor suit.

"Show me what you brought, see if we can share", Anna suggested.

"What are we, the girls in Little House in the Prairie ? You brought your food" he said, holding the food above his head so Anna wouldn't be able to reach it.

"John, pleaaaaase", she pouted.

"You're cute when you pout but no"

"It's not fair," she said, slightly leaning on him to get his food.

"Whaaat ? I bought this food", He hissed in jest.

"Yeah but friends share with each other," She looked at him with her bright blue eyes. He thought she looked like a little puppy begging for food, which was quite the case actually.

"John isn't much of a sharer, Anna. My, aren't the two of you making a lovely couple" they heard someone say. They turned around and saw O'Brien on the door frame.

"We're not a couple", John replied coldly. Anna's heart broke a little at his tone.

"Hum" O'brien just huffed. She grabbed a plate in the kitchen.

"Sarah, could you please keep your suppositions for yourself" Anna firmly asked.

"Yeah, I'll let the two of you on your date" she replied before leaving the room.

"We're not on a date" John shouted but O'Brien had already left the room. "I'm sorry, she had always loved to trash about me"

"I didn't know being on a date with me was as repulsive as that…" Anna sadly said, looking away from John to focus on her sandwich.

"Anna, that's not what I meant, you're really nice, I'm sure many men would love to go on a date with you"

"Just, not you ?" She said not as a question but more as a statement.

"I'm an old man with an injured knee who works as a librarian. I think you could do better than me, don't you think ?" He said with a smile but Anna's expression was pained.

"I could do worse" she simply stated before nibbling on her sandwich. John felt the sudden change in Anna's mood and decided not to talk about this any further. They both ate in an awkward silence.

Anna felt stupid for reacting that way to what John had said. He was right, he was older (and probably married) but she felt a connection with John that she shared with no one else, not even Thomas or Mary. She still wasn't sure if it was more than friendship but she liked spending time with him, talking casually with him, his kisses on her cheek when he greeted her when she arrived at school. But maybe she was being a foolish girl and he was nothing more than her best friend. After some time, she spoke again.

"John, I'm sorry I was so sensitive about this. It's foolish of me"

"Don't be sorry, Anna" he replied in a heartbeat "You're a brilliant, gorgeous and funny girl, it's just that I wouldn't want O'Brien to have thoughts she would use against us"

You wouldn't want her to tell your wife, Anna thought but said nothing.

"I don't care what she could say. We're friends, John. I like you and I intend on staying the same around you because that's how I behave with my friends. O'Brien can lump it" she stated.

"You're right, we're good friends and it's none of her business" He agreed.

"Say, wouldn't you like to come to our house tonight ?" Anna suggested but as she saw confusion on John's face, she quickly added "To dine with Mary and me"

"Oh"

"We've said you could come whenever you wanted but you never did and it's Friday night. So what do you say ?"

"What time ?" John just asked after a few seconds

"Around 7pm would be alright ?" She suggested.

"Perfect" He gave her one of his smiles that formed crinkles at the corner of his eyes. Anna's breath caught in her throat when he did.

"Right. I'll see you tonight" Anna said as she rose from her sit, gathering her stuff. She bent to place a kiss on John's cheek. "Good afternoon, John"

"Good afternoon, Anna," he said, blushing. He liked the way she kissed him but wouldn't admit it out loud.

Later that afternoon, John was arranging the books in the history section when he felt a presence behind him. He almost jumped when he turned around to see Sarah O'Brien.

"God, Sarah. You gave me a fright" he said, his hand on his chest.

"I know you saw me, John", she rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, don't you have classes to teach ? What are you doing here ? If this is about what you saw earlier, Anna and I are just friends-"

"Stop it, Don Juan. I don't care about that, I was just teasing. It's about Vera" she explained.

"What do you have to say about Vera ? Because if she wants more money, tell her I already gave her everything I have" he sighed, resuming his work, O'brien still behind him.

"She's getting remarried," she enlightened.

"Oh, good for her I guess… Why are you telling me that ?" John was confused.

"Are you still in love with her ?" She asked, much to John's indignation.

"No, I mean I divorced her for a reason" He replied coldly.

"You divorced her because she cheated on you", O'Brien stated.

"Her cheating on me was just proof our marriage failed, I don't think Vera and I ever loved each other, Sarah. Now, I don't wish her any ill. Good for her if she wants to remarry" John was clearly not in the mood to talk about his ex-wife.

"Great" she just said.

"Is she marrying her lover, the one she cheated on me with ?" He asked.

"You know, I'm not sure if it's only friendship for her" O'Brien stated before leaving without answering his question.

John was confused. He wondered who she had been talking about. He was also thinking about Vera marrying again. He had no feelings left for her but it still felt weird to hear this news when they had divorced only three months ago. Vera had put her life with him aside long ago, though. John knew he had never really been hurt when he discovered Vera was cheating on him, it had hurt his pride but not his heart. He had never met someone who he really loved or cared about. In his youth, he had slept with some women then he had married Vera as a rebellious act against his mother - one which he regretted bitterly -. He still longed for someone who would turn his head not only because of her beauty but also because of her personality. John was a romantic and even if, for now, he had given up on love, he deep down wanted to find something like that.

At 7 o'clock, John knocked on Anna and Mary's flat's door. He was welcomed by a very smart-looking Mary, dressed in a bright red dress. He had a pair of black jeans and a white shirt tucked into them. He looked too casual compared to her.

"Uncle John !" She said, hugging him.

"Hi, Mary !" He pulled away from her embrace to show the bottle he had brought them "I brought some wine, I won't drink any but I thought you girls would have liked some"

"That's very kind" a voice said behind Mary. John's heart skipped a beat when he saw Anna in a beautiful night blue dress. "Hello, John" she said, stepping before Mary to hug him, placing a kiss on his cheek. It was the second time today and it still had the same effect on John.

"You girls look really smart. I feel way too casual" He gestured to his outfit.

"I think you look really smart," Anna said, causing John's breath to hitch in his throat. "Come in"

John passed the threshold, went to the kitchen and placed the bottle of wine on the kitchen counter.

"Your flat is nice" He observed, sitting on the living room's sofa.

"Thank you. We've been here since we left college" Mary told him, sitting next to him while Anna fetched glasses and the wine bottle in the kitchen. The two rooms were connected.

"Were you also roommates in college ?"

"That's how we met", Anna explained as she entered the room with the drinks. "First day of freshman college, we were assigned in the same dorm and we became friends from there"

"Oh that's lovely," John said.

The evening went smoothly. They gossiped about students and other teachers, Mary told John how Matthew was doing, they talked about the latest episode of some TV show they're currently watching, while eating take-out italian. They were now sitting on the sofa, music playing in the background when Anna asked "And you John, how did you meet Mary, I reckon you know her dad?"

"Well, I've known Mary since she was born. I became friends with Robert when we were in high school. We were both in a private school. I had a football scholarship" Robert explained.

"Wait a minute. You played football ?" Anna asked, surprised.

"You needn't be quite so shocked" He rolled his eyes.

"Uncle John was really good at it. He was the one who taught me to kick a ball" Mary stated.

"A man of substance, I see" she quipped.

"Charmer" He teased back.

"Enough you two, I'd rather not be here to witness your snogging", Mary joked.

"Shut up" Anna laughed, throwing a pillow at her best friend. John's cheeks were crimson. "You can resume your story John"

"So, after we both finished college, Rob stayed in Downton, to take the school's direction from his mother. I left for London and became a firefighter. It was a childhood's dream. I stayed in touch with Rob and was the best man at his wedding. I was there for Mary and Edith's christenings. But I lived in London so I didn't see them really often. I came back to Downton for a time, when Cora was pregnant with Sybil and then I had an accident at work and got my knee injured. I went back to London. I had lost my job but I had my house back there. I stayed there until Rob offered me the job"

"You grew up in Downton ?" Anna asked.

"I was born in Ireland, grew up in Scotland then went to Downton in high school and then London to come back here after all" he replied.

"You're Irish ?"

"I am"

"Your family came with you to Downton ?"

"My mom and I left Scotland to live in England. We bought a house in London but I was living on campus most of the year. I went back to London for the weekends and holidays," he explained.

"Why did you came back to Downton ? At the time you got your injury ?"

"To run away from Vera" Mary blurted. John gave her a warning look but she didn't notice.

"Vera ? Who's Vera ?" Anna asked, confused.

"My ex-wife," he sighed. "Thank you Mary…"

"What have I done ? It's not a secret you came here because you just had a divorce" Mary said before seeing the glare John was giving her.

"You were married ?" Anna asked, looking at John with confusion and slight hurt. John shouldn't have hidden it from her. He regretted it now.

A/N : OMG A CLIFFHANGER !!! please review if you like it !