AN: Hey all! Here's another chapter for you, and I do believe this will answer most of your questions! Now, I will start by saying that some stuff in here might seem a little dicey historically, but this is a work of fiction and imagination, so...Enjoy!

Summer 1918

Mary heard her father before she saw him. He was yelling so loudly that she heard him from the upstairs room that Edith and Sybil had fixed for her at Downton. He was far enough away that she couldn't hear his every word, but she heard her name several times- and then she heard something that made her heart skip a beat. "Charles". Mary swallowed deeply, and glanced at the bed where her son was fast asleep.

"Anna, would you please keep an eye on Charlie?" Mary asked. Anna walked away from the trunks and the wardrobe, and took a seat at the edge of the bed.

"Of course, Mi'lady." Anna nodded.

"Thank you." Mary said. She set aside the book that she had been reading, and straightened up as she walked towards the door. She opened it just as Sybil's hand was about to come down on it.

"Oh! Mary, I'm sorry, I had to come get you because-"

"Papa is home, and Granny let the news about Charlie slip, and he's furious about it, yes I heard." Mary said as she stepped out of the room and quietly closed the door. "Charlie is sleeping."

"He want's to see you immediately in the dining room." Sybil said. She took her sister's hand, and they walked in silence. "He summoned Matthew as well."

"I knew he would." Mary nodded. "Did Granny do it on purpose? I can't imagine she would let something like this slip so carelessly."

"Granny is here, but she hasn't said a word- Papa is the only one who has spoken since they returned. It's making quite a spectacle for the men convalescing. We're lucky we got him to the private family rooms before he started really shouting." Sybil sighed. From outside the dining room, they could hear her father's voice, not loud any more- just deathly calm. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Mary nodded, and Sybil opened the door. At first no one said a word. Mary took in the faces of her beloved Grandmother, and her mother, then her father- her eyes flickered briefly to Matthew, whose face was blank. She strode across the room with purpose, and promptly kissed her Grandmother, and then her mother on the cheek.

"My beautiful girl!" Cora exclaimed, and caught her in a tight embrace.

"Cora." Robert said, as if he was scolding a child. Reluctantly, her mother released her from her hold. Robert motioned to a chair between Matthew, and her Grandmother. She sat down, crossed her ankles, and smoothed her skirt.

"Before you start yelling, Papa, I will say I am glad to see you looking so well." Mary said. Robert huffed, and leaned heavily on the sideboard.

"Mary. I didn't want to believe it." Robert shook his head. "But it's true, isn't it?"

"What?" Mary sniffed.

"That you have a son!" Robert cried, and straightened up again. "That you left, because you were pregnant, with Matthew's child."

"Oh, that." Mary said, feeling suddenly very nervous. "Yes, I suppose that is true." Suddenly there was a large crashing sound, and Mary looked over to see her father standing above the remains of a shattered decanter. "My, that's the second piece of glassware to fall victim to the news." Mary whispered to her grandmother, who cracked a smile at her. She couldn't look at Matthew in all of this- she couldn't bear the glossy look in his eye.

"Why, Mary?" Robert asked.

"I should think it would be obvious-"

"But it isn't!" Robert said, cutting her off. "Mary, do you realize that you might have ruined our family?"

"Oh, Robert, don't be so rash." Violet laughed.

"This isn't a joke, Mama! If Mary had stayed and wed Matthew then, all of this unpleasantness could have been avoided, but as it is, we now have an impotent heir with a bastard who cannot inherit!" Robert shouted. Mary winced at his words, and felt Matthew stiffen beside her. She wanted to reach out to him, comfort him, shield him from her father's words. But she remained still.

"Do not. ever. call my son a bastard again." Matthew growled suddenly, with such a fierceness that shocked Mary to her very core. She had expected that her father's remark would get him to speak, but she hadn't expected him to defend her son- their son. "He is innocent in all of this."

"Yes- yes, of course. But the fact still remains that this- this boy-"

"Charles." Mary said, and Her father looked at her with narrowed eyes. "He has a name. Charles Reginald Crawley, to be exact."

"The fact still remains that Charles cannot inherit-"

"Where is Charles?" Violet asked, and Cora looked to her.

"Sleeping. All of the travel wore him down. I thought he should have a nap before...meeting the family." Mary explained.

"Could we focus on the issue at hand for just one fraction of a moment?!" Robert sighed, and sunk into a chair.

"Robert, our daughter has returned, and she's brought our first grandchild with her! That is the only "issue" I care to give any focus to!" Cora said.

"Papa is right. Charlie is legally a...well, he is unable to inherit." Mary said simply. She had known that when she had decided to return, had mentioned it to Granny who had waved off her concern. But still, she had come; because Matthew deserved a child.

"Goodness, you'd think none of you had ever heard of bribery." Violet sighed.

"What?" Robert asked, his head snapping up.

"The solution is obvious. Mary and Matthew get married, quickly and quietly far from Downton, in some out of the way courthouse- a few well placed pennies, and it's simple, the date is signed as nineteen fourteen." Violet said. Mary glanced sideways at Matthew who showed no sign of even hearing her Grandmother.

"If that worked- and that's a big if, Mama, how do we explain it to everyone? Everyone knows that Mary has been away, everyone knows that Matthew was engaged to Lavinia." Robert sighed, and began pacing the floor.

"With the start up of the war they wanted to keep it quiet- there was no celebration, no announcements. When they found out Mary was expecting she decided that she wanted to be as far from the conflict as possible, especially since Matthew was away from home so often." Violet said.

"That could be plausible...But what about Lavinia?" Robert asked.

"Matthew was lonely." Violet shrugged. "An engagement was never officially announced. Rumors of the engagement could be explained as a young lovers optimistic view of an affair-"

"No!" Mary gasped, and shook her head. "No, Matthew is innocent in all of this! I don't want him painted as some cad who sent his pregnant wife away and then took a lover- he is a good man, and I will not let our family drag him through the mud-"

"He is our family! He should be willing to-"

"I don't want to hear it! He's innocent in all of this-"

"Do you mean to tell me that he didn't know that fornicating with you might lead to a-"

"Oh Papa, stop!"

"He would have married me if I'd have given him the chance-"

"That doesn't change the fact that-"

"Can you please stop talking about me like I'm not sitting right here? My legs may be worthless, but my ears are in tip top shape." Matthew said. Everyone fell quiet, and looked to the young blonde man. "I'll do whatever I can to secure my sons place in society. My own reputation doesn't matter to me."

"Then I'll make the arrangements." Violet said with a smug grin. She stood, patted Matthew's shoulder, and headed towards the door. "A wise choice, young man."

"What of Charles's birth certificate? Who does it say the father is?" Robert asked.

"It says Matthew. I thought I was far enough away that no one would feel the need to contact- but that way, when Charles grew up, he would be able to find Matthew, if he chose to do so." Mary explained. Violet nodded, and left.

"May I speak with Mary privately?" Matthew asked. Mary stiffened up, and nodded.

"When can I meet Charles?" Cora asked.

"This evening Mama, I promise. This evening, and you can ask all of your questions." Mary said.

"Robert, Sybil, Edith, let's give them privacy." Cora said. Sybil and Edith responded quickly, though Robert hesitated.

"I am sorry Papa." Mary said quietly. Robert nodded and left the room with Cora. Mary faced the door, and waited.

"You should have told me." Matthew said.

"Perhaps." Mary nodded. She stayed frozen, knowing that looking at him could make her calm demeanor crumble.

"Perhaps? Mary, he's my son."

"Yes." She nodded.

"Mary, would you just look at me please?" Matthew sighed. She turned around slowly, and resumed her seat beside him. "I read this." He said, and held up the first letter from the bundle she had given to him.

"Which one was that? It's been a long time since I wrote it." Without saying another word, he unfolded the letter and began to read.

"Dearest Matthew, Today, I've found out something wonderful, and frightening. I'm pregnant, and the child is yours. I wish you were here with me right now, and that you would hold me in your arms as you did on the night we created this life. But you are far away from me, and you do not wish to speak to me again. I have cried all of my tears now, and I will be strong."

"Oh. Yes. I remember writing that." Mary nodded, and bit her lip. "If you open the one after the next one, there's a photograph." Matthew located the letter, and tore it open. "He's looked like you since the day he was born."

"Wow." He huffed, looking at the picture. "Tell me about him. Everything."

"Where to begin. His birthday is April sixteenth, he was born at seven twenty eight in the evening after a thirty four and a half hour labor." Mary said, thinking over the whole past four years. "He had ten perfect little fingers, ten perfect little toes, and a mop of unruly blonde hair; and his eyes, were so incredibly big and blue. He was such a happy baby, and calm. Everyday I looked at him, and he reminded me so much of you."

"How did you choose the name?" Matthew asked.

"Well, I went round and round on names while I was pregnant. If it was a girl I settled on Isobel Anna, but I couldn't decide on a boys name. I spent most of the time thinking it was certainly a girl. But then there he was, a perfect boy. My first thought was to call him Matthew, but then I thought it was too..sad. So I chose Charles, after Carson. And Reginald after your father." Mary explained. "His first word was milk. It's still his favorite. And he had taken his first real steps by ten months. He's incredibly smart and perceptive, much like you. He's extremely sensitive to the emotions of those around him."

"I've missed so much…"

"It's not your fault." Mary said, reaching a hand out to him, and then pulling it back. "And even if…If you had known, If I had been here at Downton, you would have been gone most of the time. I know that doesn't justify what I did-"

"Actually, that's probably the only reason I'm not horribly furious. Any longer." Matthew sighed, and looked back down at the first photograph Mary had ever had taken of Charlie, only two weeks after his birth. "I just don't understand why you did this, Mary. I don't think I can ever understand."

"I know. I know you must hate me, I know you are angry, but we have a son. We have Charlie. And I want him to have a normal life, as much a possible now. He must never feel like he is the cause of any unhappiness." Mary said.

"He won't. Not as long as I am alive." Matthew said.

"I told him about you, you know. I told him stories about you, a brave soldier." Mary said with a smile. "I think he'll know you, somehow...Would you like to meet him properly?"

"Will you wake him?" Matthew asked, a bit nervous.

"Oh, no. I assume he'll be awake by now. His naps are becoming shorter and shorter. So, what do you say?" Mary asked. Matthew nodded, "I'll be right back." She rose from her chair, and went to the door.

"You were wrong about one thing." Matthew said just as she opened the door.

"What's that?" Mary asked.

"I could never hate you." He said. Mary smiled tremulously, and ducked out the door. She scanned the hall for signs of eavesdroppers, and seeing none, proceeded up the stairs. She walked quickly, her heart fluttering like the wings of a butterfly. Excitement and Nervousness, elation and fear all swirled around in her head. Would they take to each other straight away? Would Charles understand that Matthew was in fact his father, and call him Papa straight away? Would he understand the significance of the word? How could he, being only three? She opened the door of her bedroom, and just as she suspected, Charlie was awake, and racing around the room asking Anna question after question.

"Mama!" He called when he saw her. He ran to her feet and she scooped him up and pressed several kisses to his face.

"Is everything alright?" Anna asked.

"It will be, Anna. Thank you. There's no need for you to finish unpacking just yet. Why don't you go see Mr. Bates?" Mary suggested. Anna's cheeks turned pink, and she shook her head.

"It's no trouble at all for me, to finish unpacking-"

"I insist Anna."

"He got his divorce, Mi'lady. It became official last month." Anna said. Mary grinned, and stepped forward to embrace her employee who had become more of a sister to her in these last four years than anything else.

"That's wonderful Anna! All the more reason to go, go now!" Mary laughed. Anna nodded, curtsied, and left the room. Mary smiled at her son, and sat on the edge of her bed with the boy nestled in her arms. "Now, my love, We're going to meet someone very important."

"Gran Isobel?" Charlie asked excitedly.

"No, not Granny Isobel. Someone even more important. We're going to meet your Papa." Mary explained. He tilted his head to the side and his forehead scrunched up in confusion. "You see my love, everyone has two parents, A mama…" She said, pointing to herself. "And a papa."

"Who Papa?" Charlie asked.

"We'll go see him right now." Mary said, standing and walking to the door. "You're going to be on your best behavior, Yes Charlie?"

"Yes." Charlie nodded, and buried his face in his mother's neck.

"Very good." Mary smiled. She walked even more quickly this time around, and was at the door of the dining room in record time. She opened it, and stepped inside. "And this, Charlie, is your Papa." Mary said, setting him on his feet. He recognized Matthew instantly as the man he had met only this afternoon.

"Papa?" Charlie asked hesitantly, and raised a chubby finger to point at him.

"Yes my love." Mary said, and she crossed the distance between Matthew and herself. "See, Mama…" She put his hand on her heart. "And papa." She said, putting his chubby hand on Matthew's cheek. Matthew grinned, and put his own hand over the smaller hand of his son.

"Papa." Charlie nodded, having accepted the man as his own. He reached his arms out, and looked at Matthew expectantly.

"He wants you to hold him." Mary explained.

"May I?" He asked. Mary bit back a laugh and nodded. She relinquished her precious child to him, and then took a seat across from them. "Hello Charles."

"Me Charlie?" Charlie suggested.

"Yes, Charlie." Matthew smiled.

"Charlie, why don't you tell Papa about your day." Mary suggested. Charles began spinning the story of his day, beginning when they had disembarked, and ending with the very moment that he began to tell the story. Matthew listened with avid interest, and interjected when it was necessary, and looked genuinely thrilled the entire time. Mary felt like someone had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart. It was his first real moment as a father, and he was excelling at it. She closed her eyes and envisioned what it might have been like if he had been there on the day that Charlie had been born- if he had been able to hold him when he was a tiny baby. But he hadn't been. She hadn't given him the option. Her eyes were tingling and she felt her lips begin to tremble. How many times had she cried that day? More than she had cried in the last year.

"Mama?" Charlie asked, reaching out to her. Mary put on a faltering smile, and lifted him on to her lap. "Papa good." Charlie nodded.

"Yes, Papa is very good." Mary agreed. She looked into Matthew's eyes for a fraction of a second, and saw the strangest mix of pride and regret.

"Play now?" He asked, wanting to explore the new space he found himself in.

"Yes, of course. But you must be careful." Mary said, and set the boy down on his feet. Charlie quickly crawled under the table, and began to diligently inspect the flooring.

"He's extraordinary." Matthew sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"He is. As I said before, he reminds me of you." Mary said. "He's learned how to read just a bit. Just simple, short words. He's going to be a genius, I know. Perhaps he will be a solicitor."

"Or perhaps he will Prime Minister." Matthew said.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in this life Matthew." Mary sighed. "And today I've realized that leaving all those years ago was one of them. I am sorry for keeping him from you. Seeing you with him...you're a wonderful father already, Matthew. And you haven't had to practice at all."

"I'm sorry too, Mary. For the mistakes I made. Starting with writing you that blasted letter." Matthew sighed, and pinched his nose between two fingers. "What do you say we skip the apologies, Mary, and just try to go on, For Charlie's sake."

"I can do that." Mary nodded.

"Good. Good." Matthew nodded as well.

"Papa see!" Charlie exclaimed suddenly, and crawled out from beneath the table with a piece of lint that he must have found nestled in the carpeting. Matthew looked at it with due interest, and Mary felt her chest grow painfully tight. She had a feeling, that somehow, something would ruin this. Something always did.

AN: There you go! I hope you have a great day!