"Matthew…" Mary said, reaching up and running her hand along her husband's arm, a bewitching smile forming on her lips. "Don't you think its time we… you know?"

"Yes, I do believe your right," Matthew said with a smile… before gently moving away from her. "I should go and check on the others and stop distracting you from your nap."

Mary glowered at that. "I am not a child, Matthew."

"Believe me, I know that." He glace her a rather heated look and for a moment Mary truly hoped he would throw caution to the wind and take her right there but instead he turned his back to her and checked on his tie, making sure it was straight. "But sometimes you are as stubborn as one, especially when you don't want to do something you know is for your benefit."

"What would be to my benefit is you joining me in this bed," Mary said, running her hand along the covers. "We have been apart for far too long and we have not ever been together as husband and wife in Downton. We must correct that at once."

Matthew considered her reflection for a moment before nodding. "Very well," Matthew said and Mary smiled. "But only if you jump up and down three times without wincing."

Mary pressed her lips together, teeth gnashing against one another. "Very well, I shall do just that!" she declared, giving a nod… and grimacing in pain.

"You can't even bob your head, Mary!" Matthew complained. "How do you expect to jump up and down?"

"I'll fight there it."

He let out a frustrated scoff. "Mary, you are tired and you have a headache. You won't enjoy making love to each other!"

"I'm sure we can figure something out. If I lay perfectly still and you go very slowly… and don't put too much weight on me or jostle me too much-"

"Or if we just wait until you are feeling better…" Matthew argued.

Mary slapped the covers in frustration. "I have waited far too long, Matthew! I have been dreaming of us being together, here at Downton, as husband and wife, for months now!" She smiled though the way the pain shot through her head behind her eyes she knew there was a slight grimace to that smile that she hoped Matthew didn't notice. "Imagine if this is the night our child is conceived. Wouldn't that be magical?"

"And I am sure they will enjoy the story of how I made his or her mother feel so much pain purely because she was stubborn."

Mary glowered at him. She had been trying to convince Matthew for the last hour that now that they were at Downton the most important thing they could do was to, in the most dignified and noble way possible… rip each others clothes off and be as carnally intimate as possible.

Part of it was because she missed him. The last few weeks had seen him remain at Downton as he oversaw the final soldiers leaving and the transfer of equipment. He'd avoided returning to London to make sure that task was completed and Mary had remained behind because she didn't want her return to Downton to be something done in haste. She wanted it to be special, important. Mary had left her family's home after a night of anger, allowing herself to go into exile to be with the man she loved. She wanted her return to be even more grand. A special dinner, the family all there, toasts to the reunification of the Crawley family! That wouldn't happen with him focused on work.

The other part of it was… to be honest… she wanted to be utterly undignified as possible and she thought it rather suitable to make one of her very first actions in Downton be her lying on her back, Matthew teasing her nipples with his oh so talented tongue while he slid into her until the headrest of her bed damaged the wall behind them and Carson feared that the house was coming down. She wanted to be loud, to scream Matthew's name and let every servant know she had returned. It was vindictive and petty and she knew she'd receive a talking to for it but… damn it all she had yelled at everyone else now she wanted to punish Downton itself and the best way to do that was with her legs in the air and Matthew helping her ruin the sheets!

But Matthew had quickly refused when he'd realized that she had the horrible, terrible, evil headache that was currently ripping through her body. It was destroying all her dreams for this day and she was utterly done with it all.

Matthew, as if sensing her thoughts, smiled gently even as Mary thought about slamming her knee into his groin… or someplace else because she needed that part of him function. "There is plenty of time for all of that. But you will regret it if you are in pain. Take a nap, Mary… I've taken many these last few months when I knew I had a late night. That way you will be more than ready for dinner."

With that he left and Mary glared at the door before flopping down on the bed, cursing her body and its stubbornness to refuse to heal.

~MC~MC~MC~

"No," Anna said, folding her arms over her chest. Her voice was firm even if there was a smile on her lips. "Absolutely not."

"Are you quite sure?" Edith asked. They were standing in the Grantham Arms' main room, the lunch rush having just gotten over, and the two of them were being utterly chaotic. They were seated at the bar but were drinking tea. They were being served but it was by Mr. Lang. They had been servant and employer but now talked as friends. Honestly Edith thought that her ancestors were spinning in their graves and she found she rather liked that. Mary and Sybil always got to be the rebels when they all lived at Downton but now she'd returned to show she was one as well!

The former maid gave Edith a dry look. "I am a mother and thus unsuited to be a lady's maid and I know that Ms. Baxter will be there to assist Lady Mary."

"And I will have Fisher," Edith said, referring to her recently hired Lady's Maid. She had gotten by without one for the duration of the War but now that peace had come to London and she was likely to visit Downton more with the feud settled she had decided to hire on one for herself. Of course there was also the fact that with her and Michael taking control of Carlisle's papers they were soon going to be even more wealthy than they had been before so she could afford to bring a maid with her when they finally married in the Fall.

"Which means I won't be needed so the only reason I would come tonight is to dine and there is nothing you can say or do that would get me to do that!"

Edith looked at her for a moment more before laughing. "Peace, Anna, peace. I promise that we won't force you to come to dinner tonight."

"Though you may not have a choice," John said. "Robert has been dropping hints about Christmas."

Anna groaned at that. "I am not ready for any of this!"

"it will be fine, of course," Granny said, much to Anna's annoyance and shock. She'd clearly thought that the Dowager Countess would be her ally in this, seeing it at mad that she would be invited to stay at Downton for the holidays. "You will have plenty of company. I have already informed Mr. Mason that he will be joining us. William gave his life for our country and he was the last of his family… I won't have him spending Christmas alone."

Isobel, who decided to stay at the inn for a while herself, smiled at that. "I think that's rather lovely. Dickie mentioned that he didn't know what he'd do for the holidays now… Tim will marry soon, he is sure, and with Larry facing exile it will just be him. It would be rather nice of us to have all those we love together."

Anna though didn't look excited at all. In fact she looked like someone had asked her to march out to the Somme naked with only a feather duster to protect her.

"More honey, my Lady?" Lang asked.

Edith nodded. "Thank you." She cleared her throat a bit.

"Are you okay, my dear?" Granny asked.

"Fine Granny… the weather."

"Yes, I know what that's like," the Dowager Countess said. "Makes my bones ache sometimes. I am not one for leaving England but I do wish sometimes we were a bit dryer."

"Are you sure you are fine?" Anna asked. "You look a touch pale."

"Perfectly fine. The soreness has already begun to lesson. Most likely Mr. Lang's wonderful tea." The man smiled at that, though it was a small smile. "Though if you wish to monitor me…"

"No."

~MC~MC~MC~

Robert smiled as he carried Lillian through Downton. "And this is the drawing room," he said softly, keeping his voice level and calm. He knew that his youngest daughter didn't react well to raised voices. She didn't whimper or cry but she did fold in on herself, upset by negative emotions. He looked at his family who were all gathered there and felt his heart melt a little at the sight of everyone there once more, happy and safe. "In a few years you'll be joining us in here. Though I must warn you it can be very boring."

"hmmm," the little girl said considering this before nodding. "Not now. No."

"no, not now. Now you get to go to bed soon and rest. Something I think some of us wish we could do. "

"Really papa?" Mary complained. "I took a nap at Matthew's demand."

"You say that yet you keep yawning," Matthew pointed out.

"I do-" Mary stopped and it was clear to Robert she was trying to stifle a yawn. "Not."

"Do you think your sister is being silly?" Robert asked Lillian, shifting her. "I think she is being silly."

"Silly. Yes, very silly. Silly Mary."

Mary rolled her eyes even as she smiled at her baby sister. "Thank you for that, papa."

Robert turned as Nanny arrived to take Lillian, Cora rising to give the kiss a kiss and Robert did the same before he finally entered the drawing room and joined the others. "I suppose you think that wrong of me, mama, but it is Lillian's first night back at Downton as well and I didn't want to ignore her."

"On the contrary," mama stated, "I thought it very touching you did so. The War has changed many things and I think a small goodbye to my granddaughter didn't damage society too greatly." She paused. "Her being allowed to dine with us before she is 13…"

Robert held up his hand as he moved to get a before-dinner drink. "Peace mama, I won't push social norms that much." He walked over to Tom who was lightly sipping on some water. "Nothing for you?"

The… ('former employee? Sybil's intended?)… Robert's friend smiled weakly at that. "No. This is my first dinner at Downton and I want to keep my wits about me. I'm Irish and yet all of you manage to stun me with your alcohol consumption."

Robert chuckled at that. "Well, I will take that as a matter of pride." He walked over to Michael, leaving Tom be. "So… tonight isn't the night to discuss it but we really should get together and discuss your wedding."

"Of course," Michael said quickly.

"I want you to know I am not looking to take over. I merely want to know what I can do to help."

"I appreciate that. Edith and I are debating where to have it. Mary said if Edith wished to have it done in the village that would be fine but of course now Edith is worried she will be judged as stealing something from Mary…"

Robert considered that. "We own several other estates. Downton is just the largest. But there are a few other houses around that could host the reception. And as for the wedding itself we could work something out."

"Hmm… yes, that might work." Michael suddenly frowned.

"If you don't like the idea I'm willing to work with you-"

Michael though waved off Robert's concerns. "No, it wasn't that. I am truly thankful for your help and how you've been so welcoming of me into your family."

"You were there for the girls when I wasn't and I will be forever grateful for that." Robert looked at Michael who was once more looking rather worried. "But I think your mind isn't entirely on the matter of your wedding."

Michael managed a slight smile at that but it only lasted moments before it fell again. "I truly am sorry Robert but I'm worried about Edith. I think she is coming down with something and she is being far too stubborn to admit it."

"All the girls are like that," Robert stated. "Mary has had a fierce headache all day and has refused to accept that she isn't feeling well." He sighed. "All the girls are worried about making this dinner special when they only ones that truly care about that are them. I am just happy everyone has returned home."

Michael nodded at that. "Perhaps… but I suppose we must do what we can to make them happy, even if it is playing along with what they think will make everyone else happy."

"The perfect puzzle for the mind… except right now when all I wish for is a relaxing time with my family."

"Michael, a word?" Matthew said and Robert happily waved the man off to go talk with Cora, who was seated in one of the chairs.

"Are you doing well?" he asked her. "You are sitting her all by yourself. I don't know if you've talked to a single person so far."

"If someone wishes to talk to me they can… I am happy to just sit here and enjoy what we lost."

Robert nodded. "I understand completely. It is utterly amazing how you can do something so normal that it becomes routine and not realize the blessing it actually is." He paused, looking down at his wife. "I have had my rooms prepared for me." Cora gave him a look but he turned away, unable to meet her gaze. "I hurt everyone. The girls and Matthew are most obvious but I did hurt everyone. I robbed from you and Mama so many precious moments that will never come again. I stole from Lillain several yours of sisterhood. I took from myself love and family. Even with everyone here… I have not been forgiven."

"I have forgiven you," Cora said.

Robert though merely smiled sadly at that. "But I have not forgiven myself. I have not earned the right to have you by my side and it is only when I feel that I have that I will join you. Please know… it is nothing to do with you. I am not punishing you. This… this is something I msut do for myself."

"Very well, Robert," Cora said after a moment. "But don't lose another half a decade punishing yourself."

~MC~MC~MC~

When Sybil had first begun training to be a nurse, back in her first life, the woman that had taught her had been a firm, stern woman. Stout, short, with a flat face and thick arms. She was what Tom would refer to as a true battle axe because she was as deadly as one. The woman could easily destroy all those that got in her way. Sybil had been intimidated by her at first and she knew the woman had thought little of her when she'd first arrived for her training. Nurse Spratt had thought her a weak little lady that had only come to join the nurses' squadron in order to flirt with men in uniform and make herself look pretty in her outfit.

Their battle had only lasted two days, when Spratt had commanded all the nurses to change bedpans and Sybil's patient, an older man who had already begun to lose his sense of self thanks to a wound on the head, had defecated right on her when she'd moved to change the bedpan. Sybil had been startled, of course, letting out a little shriek… then carried on and done her duty and apologized for her outburst to the patient.

After that Spratt had warmed up to her, seeing that Sybil was willing to dive deep into the 'muck' and do what it took to help those in need.

During one of her last nights as a trainee, when she had been tasked with an overnight shift, Spratt had joined her in monitoring the patients and shared her important, yet terrible, view on their position.

"You'll be ruined forever," the older woman had said sternly. "You might not realize it at first but this will alter you forever and you will find yourself ruined. Because you will never be able to truly enjoy the company of others without seeing what ails them. You will cuddle a baby close and even as you whisper how cute it is you will see how the feet bend wrong. You will compliment beautiful girls but know who will grow fat and lame in the years due to their diets and their postures. A charming man will ask you to dance and you won't be able to enjoy the music because you will see that he is diseased and know he has been with a whore who has infected him. It will allow you to help some, yes… but even if after this war you never help another soul you will see sickness in everyone. And I am sorry for that."

Spratt had been right. In Dublin she had met her new neighbors and known which old woman was most likely to die soon. When she'd returned to Downton she'd seen how her father drank and feared that his life would be counted not in decades but merely years. Every moment of her pregnancy had been marked with fear about the baby… though she had to admit she should have been worried about herself. Even if this new life she had watched others and worried for them, fearing that they were going to get sick and die. It made her scared for some many people but like Cassandra walking the walls of Troy she could not tell them why she knew they were doomed because she understood that no one would believe her.

'No, that's not right,' she thought to herself as she selected some beef from the platter the new footman, Alfred, offered her. He was so very tall and she wondered what that would mean for his joints when he got older, especially with all the bending he ahd to do… 'Matthew would believe me. But he'd also work himself into such a frenzy trying to help people that he'd kill himself from the stress.'

Thus she never told him when she noticed things. A cough, a sniff, a shiver. Because for the most part nothing came from their gestures. Yes, sometimes a cough meant a black lung… other times it merely meant someone had a dry throat and needed a glass of water. It was a dangerous thing to allow knowledge to draw you into beliving you knew the answer.

"Mary?" mama asked. "Did you not hear me?"

"Oh… I'm sorry, I was thinking of… what did you ask?"

Except Sybil now was fearing that the signs before her were not her looking for evils but rather evils actually taking root in those she loved.

"Matthew," she said as she saw Edith pushing her food about her plate. "Ask papa to end the dinner now."

"I think we still have dessert," Matthew said.

"I don't care, ask him politely now. Claim there is some grave matter you've discovered. Tell him that half of the farms are on fire or the Germans are buying them. Anything. And get Michael to distract the others."

He leaned in closer, dropping his whisper to an even lower level. "Whatever is the matter?"

"I need to ride down to the village and get Dr. Clarkson at once. I am hoping he isn't asleep and I am going to need all the help I can get. Your mother will be good but he will be better."

"Sybil…"

"You can't see it?" Sybil asked. "Look at them." She nodded to Mary and Edith. "The flush skin. The confusion. The listlessness. Do you not remember when you saw this before… during another spring after another war?"

Matthew stared… before eyes went wide.

Sybil grabbed his leg and squeezed as hard as she could. "Don't," she hissed, thankful veryone else was focused on their conversations. "It will create a panic and Mary will deny it."

"It… it can't be. They didn't catch it last time-"

"And last time Lavinia was here," Sybil warned him. "You ensured she was in London this time to save her… but I wonder if by saving here we haven't changed things so greatly the Fates have decided to turn their attention to others."

Matthew reached out and took a sip of his wine, Sybil able to see his hand was shaking. She didn't blame him… the nightmares of that horrible night haunted her too.

The night the Spanish Flu had come to Downton.

Mama. Lavina. Carson. Those were the main three but others had become sick. Two hall boys. One of the kitchen maids. They had been lucky to only lose one person and Sybil hated that she considered the death of Lavinia to be a 'lucky thing' but it was the truth. They had done so much to spare everyone; Sybil had watched over her mother and Lavinia had kept in London but now-

"Mary?" papa said and Sybil let go of Matthew's leg and sought his hand out for comfort. Because she knew… they couldn't stop what was about to happen. "Are you all right? You look dreadfully pale."

"Indeed," Granny said with none of her usual bite. "My dear, perhaps you should go to bed."

"I… I think you're right." Mary rose. "I tried… to… "

Mary swayed.

Tom leapt to catch her but his feet got tangled up and they both fell with a clatter.

Mama cried out and Isobel was racing around the table and Sybil was joining her only to hear Edith moan as she too suddenly felt quite ill, as if she had been hanging on just to spite Mary and now that the eldest of Sybil's sisters had shown weakness Edith could admit the same.

"What is going on?" Robert asked.

"The Spanish Flu," Sybil said, taking charge. "They have all the symptoms. We must get them to bed at once. We need to get Dr. Clarkson."

"I'll call for him," Robert said, moving to help Tom up. "I know it is terrible to ask this Tom but could you drive down to… good god man you are burning up!"

Sybil nearly lost her grip on Mary.

'No…' she thought in horror. She'd been so focused on mary and Edith she hadn't thought to look for the signs in Tom. He was young and strong and he couldn't get sick! She couldn't remember him ever getting sick, not during either of her two lives. And yet even as Matthew moved forward, lifting Mary up and hurrying out of the room Sybil saw he was sweating so much his shirt was soaked. Yet he was also shivering something fierce, mouth opening and closing as he gasped for air. She hear Michael talking to Isobel, who was trying to explain what to do to help and Mama was aying something… but Sybil was focused on Tom.

And for one terrible moment she wondered if the Fates had decided that the cost of all the good she and Matthew and Michael had done… was the lives of those that they loved.

~MC~MC~MC~

Mary was floating.

She didn't like it that much.

'If woman was meant to fly she'd have wings,' she thought to herself as she waved her arms about, trying to fight through the haze and darkness that swirled around her like some ebony fog. It clung to her skin and made her tremble at times while at others it burned her flesh to the point she thought her skin would crackle and pop off like burnt pork.

'And I'd like to know very much what is going on!'

"You're very sick."

Mary twisted and suddenly she found herself standing outside of Downton. She was wearing a long tiered red dress, her hair curled but also tight to her head. It was snowing around her which was very odd as it was Spring and also she wasn't cold at all even though she knew she should be.

"You've caught the Spanish Flu. You are right now in bed and Dr. Clarkson is working to save your life. M-Matthew is by your side. Terribly worried of course but there. So please do us all a favor and don't die."

Mary frowned, her brow furrowed as she looked about. "I'm not in bed. I'm… I'm certainly not in a bed!"

"You're dreaming," the voice said. "I thought this would better for you. Its Mary Crawley's favorite memory after all."

"I have never worn this dress or stood out in the snow."

"I never said it was YOUR favorite memory."

And with that another Mary, older, her hair much shorter, wearing a rather daring and modern outfit, appeared before her.

"Though I do admit liking Matthew's second proposal a bit more than the first," the other Mary said.