Downton Abbey 1. Girl Talk

Anna finished the final touches on one of her newest creations as Mary, her favorite model and best friend, stood impatiently on the riser in front of the full-length mirror. With her first fashion week quickly approaching, up and coming designer Anna Smith was under the gun to get her new line complete and ready for her very first show.

Anna's dream was slowly becoming a reality. From her humble beginnings of sewing the most simple of dolls clothes as a little girl to head of the class at London's most prestigious fashion institute, she was finally reaping the rewards of all her hard work and sacrifice. While most young women in their early thirties were settling down with their handsome husbands in their perfect homes with dreams of 2.5 children and a dog or cat, Anna spent almost every waking hour in her modest home studio toiling over sketches, fabric swatches and half completed dress forms. Dating was not high on her list of priorities when her lifelong dream was so close to coming to fruition. Sure, she wanted to settle down with a handsome man. Eventually. When she could find the time. But honestly, who had time to date? So lost in her thoughts was Anna that she didn't realize she'd pricked her very fidgety model until her gasp of pain reached her ears.

"Ouch, Anna! Watch what you're doing unless you want me to bleed out all over this gorgeous chiffon!"

Anna quickly pulled her hand back muttering her apologies through the pins perched precariously from her lips.

"Where were you off to anyway? You seemed completely lost in thought."

"Oh nowhere in particular," Anna sighed out. "Just thinking of where I am compared to other women my age."

"And where might that be?"

"I was just thinking how most all my friends are already starting their lives. Getting engaged, married, having kids, and I'm still here finally getting my career off the ground. Completely single. With no prospect of a date, or good lord, even a good shag on the horizon!"

Mary stood thoughtfully gazing at Anna through the mirror as she continued pinning the back of her dress, extra careful not to prick her fair-skinned model and friend once again. "Anna, so what if you haven't gotten married yet. So many of those other women gave up on their dreams in order to settle down and start a family. But you've been working tirelessly toward your dream of becoming a big name fashion designer for as long as I've known you. I've never known for you to give up on something without giving it everything you've got. If you want something, I have no doubt you'll get it."

Anna huffed in disagreement. "Well the problem is when am I ever going to find the time to date? I rarely ever see the outside of my studio, let alone my flat! My last serious boyfriend dumped me because I didn't have enough time to spend with him. Unless one of these mannequins comes to life and turns into an eligible and handsome man, I'm afraid I'll die alone."

"So why not try Internet dating? I've heard some good things about it. Did you know Edith met her boyfriend Michael that way?"

"I didn't know that, no. I always thought the men on those websites were hopeless losers living in their parents' basements."

"Well, some very well might be," chuckled Mary, "but I'm sure there will be one or two handsome, available men for you. You'll never know unless you try it."

"I'm not really sure Mary. Even if I do meet someone, when am I supposed to find the time to date?"

"For the right man, you'll make the time. How about I come over tomorrow night. We can open a few bottles of wine, I'll help you choose a site and create your profile, and we can go from there."

Anna couldn't contain her skepticism over the whole process. What were the odds of meeting the love of your life over the Internet? However, she knew once Mary got hold of an idea, she wasn't one to let it go. Anna would have no choice but to agree. And at least she'd get a girls night out of it. "Fine I'll do it. But I'm only giving it a month. If I don't meet someone after a month, I'm deleting my profile."

"Fair enough. I'll come over tomorrow night around 8. I'll bring the wine and you can order the take-away. Now, are we almost done with this dress fitting? I have a date with Matthew tonight and I still need to decide what to wear."

Anna pondered over Mary's parting words once left alone in her flat. Would she really be able to make the time for a relationship for the right man? The last thing she wanted was to sacrifice her career for her love life. But then again, what good was professional success without someone to share it with? She'd thought her last serious boyfriend, Ryan, would be the exception to that rule. He was always kind and considerate and treated her with respect, but the more her work commitments grew, the less time she was able to spend with him, and the more he drifted away from her. He supported her dream. At first. But a dinner out, or a movie night once a week, and if she was feeling particularly caught up with her tasks, a sleepover at the end of the date was no longer enough to sustain their relationship. He broke up with her in her very own living room, sitting close to her on her sofa with what felt like the eyes of her mannequins boring into the back of her skull. Judging her for not being enough. They parted with an awkward hug and best wishes for the future, even an empty promise to remain friends before she broke down in tears at the gentle closing of her front door.

She allowed herself a week to mourn what might have been before throwing herself back into her designs with a fiercer dedication than before. She had a world to conquer and no man was going to make her feel inferior for striving for her goals.

True to her word, Mary came over to Anna's flat the next night bearing Indian takeaway and several bottles of wine. Any hopes of Mary forgetting about their plans were dashed immediately as Mary took Anna's laptop hostage, quickly logging her into one of England's most successful and reputable dating websites. Once finished answering the hundreds of "getting to know you" questions meant to narrow down the list of potential matches and completing her own profile of her romantic goals and ideal traits in a potential mate, the girls were ready to get down to the fun part: window shopping for her potential future husband.

By this point in time, the girls were well into their third bottle of wine, Anna needing the majority to make it through some of the more…intimate questions.

"Really though," Anna asked, "why do they need to know how often I want to have sex in a relationship? Can't I just answer 'whenever I feel up to it?' or how about 'whenever I can stay awake long enough to not want to fall asleep during it?'"

"And that is precisely why we're doing this! Perhaps you'll find a man who is _so good _at it that you'll want it all the time and won't be able to keep your hands off each other and will wind up shagging like rabbits all over your work table!"

Anna could only shake her head in disagreement. "I find that highly unlikely. The only thing my worktable is for, is working. There will be no shagging! It's a shag free zone!"

"Anna, for the past year this ENTIRE flat has been a shag free zone! You need some relief! I saw you gawking a little too lustfully at the David Beckham Calvin Klein underwear ad last week. Granted, it's a very sexy ad, but Anna, YOU WERE DROOLING! And I swear I heard you moan, don't even try to deny it! Now can we _please_ get back to window shopping?"

"Fine. How about this man?" Anna asked while hovering her mouse pointer over a picture. The man in question was in his late 30s, decent looking, but by no means classically gorgeous.

Mary perused his profile looking for red flags. "No, you won't like that one. He says he most likely doesn't want children and I'm pretty sure those pictures are photo-shopped. You can do better. Next!"

Anna scrolled down a little further, scrolling past men she felt were too attractive, or at least too vain to focus some of their attention on her instead of solely on themselves before halting her scrolling as the most enchanting pair of hazel eyes jumped out at her from her screen. 'John' the profile said his name was. She clicked on his name to go further into his profile so she could learn more about him.

According to his profile, he worked in television, loved to read, cook and considered himself a romantic. He was also in his 40s and listed his marital status as 'separated.' "What about this one, Mary?"

Pulling herself away from opening their fourth bottle of wine, Mary looked over Anna's shoulder to see which profile she was referring to. She immediately recognized the photo as that of John Bates, her father's best friend and personal assistant. She knew John very well, and though she knew that he and Anna would more than likely get along, she could not in good conscience encourage them to date. At least not yet. Judging by the doe eyed look that had passed over Anna's face while reading the contents of his profile, she knew she needed to act quickly.

"I don't know about him Anna, isn't he a little old for you? I mean you're in your early 30s and he's already in his mid 40's! What kind of match is that? I thought you wanted children too, and wouldn't you want your husband to be able to chase after the little ones and not be confined to a wheelchair by the time they graduate? And look, he's separated! There could be a crazy almost-ex lurking about waiting to come after you! No, I don't think he's a good idea at all."

Though she knew she was being a little too harsh on John, a man she really did love like a member of her own family, Mary knew she had to do whatever possible to discourage Anna from pursuing him. At least for the time being.

On the other hand, Anna couldn't see why Mary was so vehemently discouraging her from even contacting John just to get to know him better. Sure, he was a little older than her typical type, but maybe that was her problem. Maybe she needed to branch out and broaden her horizons as dating her usual type was getting her no closer to the family she desired.

"Fine, even though I feel we'd get along splendidly and have many things to discuss, I'll pass…"

"I'm sorry, Anna, but I think it's for the best. And with that, it's past my bedtime. I've got an early fitting tomorrow so I really should be getting my rest."

The two friends said their goodbyes as Anna placed Mary into a cab to get her back to her place safely, shutting the door behind her.

After cleaning up the take-away remnants and placing their dirty dishes in the dishwasher, Anna turned out the lights and headed to her bedroom, picking up her laptop on the way. There was one last thing she needed to do before passing out into a wine-induced slumber. Mary would not approve.


	2. Morning Mail

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites. The title of this story comes from a Pet Shop Boys song of the same name, mainly because I had the chorus stuck in my head at the time and it seemed fitting. Here's the next chapter, which is mostly John. The subsequent chapters will be longer, I promise!**

**Disclaimer: Downton Abbey, John, Anna and any other DA characters used in this chapter, the previous chapter and any subsequent chapters do not belong to me.**

**Now, on with the show!**

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John Bates stirred in his bed as the first rays of light began to filter through his bedroom windows. Sleep was hard to come by the previous night as the unseasonably warm August weather kept him from sleeping comfortably. The one bedroom flat he'd moved into the month prior lacked proper ventilation and seemed to hold the sweltering hot and humid air firmly within its walls. But this was how he needed to live for now. At least until he could get back on his feet and find something better. He still had his job, thanks to Rob. And his health, even if it seemed the rest of his life was crumbling at his feet. John glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand, blinking wearily to focus on the red numbers, seeing that it was still early and that he wouldn't be needed at the office for a few more hours yet.

He set his feet on the floor and stretched his arms overhead, wringing out the knots that had seemed to form along his spine and neck over night, each reach of his arm letting out a gentle crack or pop. Making his way into the flat's small kitchen to click the kettle on for his morning cup of tea, John ran the day's schedule through his head, trying to determine how much he'd need to hold Rob's hand throughout the day. John hated to admit it, but for being the Vice-President of one of the UK's major networks, Rob just wasn't very good at his job. No matter what John said to advise him on which shows to cancel and renew, Rob always seemed to do the opposite, often making unpopular decisions, resulting in losses of both money and viewership. It was amazing the man still had a job!

Unfortunately, today was a very important day for the network as the autumn schedule, and the subsequent trailers for the new and returning shows were set to debut. This meant it would be a very busy and stressful day for John. But first, tea.

John set about making his tea, pouring in the desired amount of milk with just a dash of sugar, before sitting at his tiny dining table and opening his laptop to check his email and catch up on current events.

Most of his emails were work related, with one every so often from his mother, who'd surprisingly managed to set an email account up for herself from the basic computer John had gifted to her for Christmas, or from an eligible bachelorette from the dating website Rob had convinced him to sign up for after he left Vera and started divorce proceedings. According to Rob, John needed a nice woman to wash the taste of evil out of his mouth, left there from his entirely too long, and torturous fifteen year marriage to Vera. Rob was right – she was an evil creature who'd done enough to damage John for several lifetimes. He honestly didn't know if he could ever repair his heart enough to let someone else in. He was resigned to live a life of solitude, with only the company of Rob and the rest of the Crawley family. But, he humored his friend and created a profile with the disclaimer that it would only last a month, though so far nothing had come from it. Most of the messages he received were from wannabe actresses trying to play him up for an audition once they saw that he worked in television. He ignored them all. John Bates would no longer be someone's doormat! He'd had quite enough of that being married to Vera.

Today was day twenty-five of his month long trial. Only five more days before he could delete the whole thing and move on with his life, able to tell his best friend that he tried, but did not succeed.

John scrolled through his email, past the coupons from his favorite bookstore, past the recipes of the week from a cooking magazine he subscribed to, and stopped abruptly at the email from . Something about this email was different. Perhaps it was the truly angelic face, with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen staring back at him. Or perhaps it was the completely genuine message enclosed. Whatever it was, John Bates was instantly smitten. Perhaps he'd be staying on this website a little longer.

_From: Anna _

_To: John _

_Subject: Hello there_

_Hello John,_

_I was browsing through my list of matches and came across your profile. I knew right away you were someone I needed to know more about. _

_I also love to read, all manner of books, though sometimes I don't have the time to indulge as much as I'd like. There really is nothing like losing oneself in another world, in using your own imagination to picture scenery and characters and transporting yourself to another time. Oh, off I go romanticizing again. I tend to do that when talking of books. What are some of your favorites? I would like to guess, just by looking at you, that perhaps you're one for poetry? Or maybe you enjoy essays or short stories? I say that because your eyes seem soulful, like you have a world of knowledge behind them from pouring over some of the finest literature._

_I'm sorry, perhaps that was too forward. Though I must admit, your eyes are what drew me in, though your words enticed me more. _

_I hope to hear back from you soon! Best of luck in your search if I don't._

_Anna_

Wow. Well this woman was something else, though what a woman like her saw in him was anyone's guess. Beautiful, and from what he could tell from her profile, she was also successful and very intelligent. She worked in fashion. John looked down at his pajamas. Old pajama pants, a t-shirt with no fewer than five holes, and a robe that had definitely seen better days. Not to mention his socks. He was fairly certain if he walked more than ten more steps in them, his big toe would be making an appearance. No, there's no way a fashion designer would approve.

Actually, if it weren't for the need to dress professionally at work, he'd most likely wear nothing but jeans and a polo shirt daily. Perhaps this Anna could give him a few pointers…

He really needed to start getting ready for work, yet he knew that if he didn't respond to her email now, he'd lose his nerve by the time he got another opportunity to stop and respond to his emails. Rob really could crack the whip when he wanted to.

_From: John _

_ To: Anna _

_ Subject: RE: Hello there_

_Dear Anna, _

_Thank you very much for your email. I still don't completely understand what a beautiful, successful entrepreneur such as yourself sees in a big oaf like me, but for now I'll trust your judgment._

_I'm not very good at this sort of thing, so for now I'll just respond to your questions. I very much agree with your feelings regarding literature. I find reading is a great escape for me, and has proved very beneficial over the past decade and the personal hardships that came along with that time. But, those are stories for another time._

_I'm afraid you have me pegged quite accurately when it comes to my choice of reading. I very much love poetry and will often choose a volume over a novel. I suppose that's the romantic in me. I do, however, balance it out with essays and short stories. My favorites are the Transcendentalists like Thoreau and Emerson. I could sit on my sofa of an evening with a pot of tea at the ready and read their essays over and over again, finding a new interpretation each time. I'm sorry; this makes me sound incredibly dull. Sometimes I have a few biscuits or penguins along with my tea to spice things up! _

_Anyway, I'm sorry to say I must end this here and begin my day. I very much enjoyed hearing from you, and hope to do so again. Have a wonderful day, Anna._

_John_

John stopped typing to re-read what he wrote before hitting 'send.' Hopefully he didn't come off sounding like a complete bore. He supposed he could have done more to make himself seem more interesting, but what was the dating advice again? Be yourself? He'll just have to be his usual, boring self and hope for the best. Clicking send, John closed his laptop and set about getting ready for his day. Now instead of simply worrying about Rob destroying a television empire singlehandedly, he had something else with which to concern his mind. Would he hear from the lovely Anna again?


	3. Just Another Day

**A/N: Seriously, you all flatter me. I write for my own selfish reasons, but I'm glad you all are enjoying it, too. Hope this chapter continues to entertain!**

**Disclaimer: Same as previous**

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The incessant beeping of the alarm clock startled Anna awake, forcing her to open her eyes before she was ready in order to locate the off button on the blasted device. She immediately regretted it as someone had rudely forgotten to turn off the sun. All of the sudden, those three bottles of wine she had shared with Mary the night previous did not seem like a wise decision. She had too much work to do today to spend it nursing a hangover. Her head was pounding and she could feel the remnants of last night's Indian takeaway churning in her stomach, begging for an escape. She rolled onto her back and used one hand to attempt to rub the sleep from her eyes while at the same time trying to massage away a bit of her headache.

As soon as she opened her mouth to yawn, she noticed her mouth might as well have been the Sahara for how dry it felt. She obviously did not have all her faculties about last night when she readied for bed. Anna always knew to drink a glass or two of water before bed after a night of drinking to ward off a hangover the next morning. She neglected to do that last night and would definitely pay for that mistake today.

After stumbling out of bed, Anna made her way into her bathroom to brush her teeth and ready for her day before heading into the kitchen for breakfast. From the sounds her stomach was making, she might need to treat herself to a full English breakfast this morning. A bowl of cereal and tea was not going to cut it at all.

Once her breakfast was prepared, Anna sat down at the small table next to her small, yet functional kitchen with her laptop to see if any important emails came in during the night, and of course, check up on current events. She knew many people in the fashion industry were pegged as not very intelligent and vain and only caring about clothes and material things. Anna vowed never to allow herself to be categorized that way. She was more than just a pretty face and considered herself well read and knowledgeable of current events. She could more than hold her own in conversation with others at a cocktail party, or other fancy affairs. Well, she could once she was invited to attend such gatherings. Success would come her way soon enough, and when it did, she'd be ready.

She scrolled through the usual emails and replied as needed. One of her suppliers was running low on a fabric she enjoyed and offered some alternatives for her to choose from. She selected an option and moved onto the next email. Her mother sent her an Evite to one of her garden parties before the end of summer. She skipped that one not sure how to respond as she was quite certain her schedule would not allow for a trip to her native Yorkshire anytime soon.

The next one, however, she did not skip. In fact, she couldn't even remember sending an email to that address to receive a reply. Perhaps it was spam? But then she recognized the handle and recalled a very hazy memory where she sent an email to a man. She clicked to open the email and saw that it was from a man named John. She'd have to click on the profile again to put a face to the name. Or was it vain to want to know what he looked like before reading what he responded? No, this once vanity would win out. Plus, she was scared to remember what she wrote to him.

Clicking into his profile, she noticed first that he was a very handsome man. Older than her, but other than a few lines on his face and gray hairs at his temples, he was a fine figure of a man. She could see why she was attracted to him last night. She immediately remembered the soulful hazel eyes that drew her in originally. There was so much expressed in his eyes. She could see wisdom, mischief, and even a hint of pain. Oh god, she hoped she hadn't written anything embarrassing! There was only one way to find out.

She clicked back over to his email, and with a wince, scrolled down to read what she had originally written. She feared that in her wine-induced inebriation she may have prattled on about some nonsense, or perhaps come on too strong. She skimmed through. Nothing too terrible. She actually sounded relatively normal! She had just the right amount of subtle flirting and normal getting-to-know-you conversation.

Scrolling up further, she made it to where he responded and began reading. She had pegged him very accurately. He seemed very intelligent, and very humble. Very unlike the men she came across in her usual social circles, who were all about their looks and going to the gym. _All looks, and no substance_. She needed a man with substance. Not just in body, but in mind as well. This John intrigued her, so she made a decision then and there to continue chatting with him, just to see where it would take her. With a flash of courage and a drop of inspiration, Anna quickly fired off a response to John before showering and preparing for another busy day. This time she hoped she'd have something to look forward to at the end of it.

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John arrived at work at exactly nine A.M. ready to take on a new day. There was a lot in store for them today. They had a meeting with all of the network executives to discuss the final programming schedule for the new fall season in an hour. He was to meet with Robert in the next thirty minutes for a final briefing and decision on the fall shows. He was hoping he'd be able to sway Robert's final decision making in time.

The network already wasn't doing very well after having a series of flops during the spring roll-out, and Robert was on the verge of cancelling one of their more popular shows, even after it had a strong second series. It was a well-written, hour-long family dramedy, with just the right balance of heart and humor and not to mention a huge cult following. The cast was well known and very talented, the writing superb, and the DVR and on-line replay numbers were off the charts! Not to mention, the show had the potential to catch on in the States, which would bring even more money into their cash-strapped network. Unfortunately, Robert wanted to replace it with another one of those so-and-sos got talent shows, which were all the rage right now. John believed they needed to focus on quality programming to stand out as a network instead of packing their line-up with cheaply produced reality shows.

Unfortunately, John wasn't the one getting paid the big money to make these decisions. He could only influence Robert so much and save him from total demise so many times before nothing else could be done. He was certain it would only be a matter of time before _Britain's Top Dog_ became Sunday night's number one show. He shuddered to think about that.

With a sigh, John heaved himself onto his desk chair in the small office area outside Robert's executive offices. He never thought he'd wind up as Robert's personal assistant. He'd always had loftier goals for himself, but desperate times made a man do whatever he had to do to make ends meet. The last thing he'd thought he'd be doing at this point in his life was getting tea and making appointments on behalf of his best friend. Some days it felt like he was nothing more than a valet working in some grand 1900s estate, the only difference was that he didn't have to dress Robert on a daily basis. He managed that on his own, for the most part, aside from those few nights where John was required to tend to Robert after he had about twelve too many scotches at an industry function. John shook his head. It really was a miracle that man still had a job. But then again, as long as Robert was employed, so was John. And he'd do everything in his power to keep it that way.

As he sat at his desk waiting for Robert to come in, John's thoughts drifted to Anna. He wondered if she had read his response to her email yet, and tried to use what little willpower he had remaining in his life to resist checking his email on his phone. No other woman had intrigued him as much as Anna had in the one email he'd received from her. And to think, he was only days away from giving up on this whole process for good.

Leaning back in his chair, John placed the pen he was twirling to his lips before allowing himself to recall the blue eyes that had greeted him this morning, the beautiful blonde hair and confident smile that almost leapt out of his computer screen and left his heart fluttering for what had to be the first time in over fifteen years. Oh, how he hoped something good would come from this. As much as he hated to admit it, he did need the love of a good woman in his life. He'd been trapped in a fog of misery for far too long.

"John. John!"

The sound of Robert almost shouting his name drew him from his reverie.

"Sorry Mr. Crawley, I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"How many times do I have to tell you, you don't need to call me Mr. Crawley? You're my best friend. You don't need to treat me as your superior."

"Ah yes, but I do! I don't want the others around the office accusing me of receiving special treatment. They already resent me for my hiring, I don't need to add fuel to their fires." John was hired a few months ago, as a personal favor by Robert Crawley. He'd hit rock bottom in his life after losing his job as a secondary school English teacher and desperately needed a new source of income so he could leave his wife, Vera. Robert offered him the job as his personal assistant, passing over other worthy applicants in order to help his friend. John may not have had any industry experience, but he was a hard worker and could be trusted with some of the secrecy needed in this corporate environment. And though Robert hated to admit it, having John so close would allow him to make sure he stayed on the straight and narrow and wouldn't allow his former vices to rear their ugly heads once more.

"Well, if you insist on maintaining a proper boss-assistant relationship, then perhaps I should start calling you Bates."

"No need to go that far, Mr. Crawley," John said with a chuckle, "We're in an office building, not some grand country estate. Let me hang up your coat and then I'll meet you in your office with your morning tea."

"Why thank you, Bates." Robert tossed John his coat to hang up with a smirk and then headed to his office, not before turning and flashing an impish grin John's way. Every so often, they liked to make light of their rather unconventional working relationship. They tried to maintain a professional appearance while at work, however once the work day ended, they were nothing less than best mates.

A few minutes later, John knocked once before opening the door and entering Robert's office, carrying a tray with tea for them both, his notepad under his arm ready to get started on a new and busy day. John settled down in the chair in front of Robert's desk, pen at the ready and looked at Robert expectantly. Expecting to hear Robert getting down to business about the autumn lineup, John was caught off guard with what Robert said first.

"So, what had you miles away when I first walked in? I'm guessing by the soppy look on your face that it for once, was not related to the soon-to-be former Mrs. Bates?"

John was always shocked with how well his friend could read his moods.

"No, no. It was nothing as unpleasant as that. It was just something I read this morning. Brightened up my day considerably."

"Oh? Perhaps I should read it, too. I could use a little cheer this morning. I have a feeling today is going to be quite trying."

A pink tinge slowly crept up John's neck and onto his face. He wished he'd never mentioned it. In fact, he wished he were better able to hide his happiness. Unfortunately, the feeling was so foreign that he didn't realize what he was experiencing until it was written all over his face these days. "I don't think that would be a good idea. It was of a rather personal nature."

"Well, whatever it was, I'm glad it brought you a bit of cheer. I'll be happier when this bit of doom and gloom is over for you. Any luck with that dating website? It's been just about a month now. I really hope you don't give up. Sometimes these things take time."

John struggled with how much to mention. Should he say that someone with some substance finally emailed him? Perhaps he shouldn't mention anything until he was sure something could actually come from it. "Not really. I recently received a message from a woman who might have some potential. But nothing has come of it yet."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Well, I hope whoever this woman is sees what a fine man you are under the rough edges. You deserve whatever happiness comes your way. And I hope some comes your way soon. Now, let's get started on today's agenda."

"Right, well we have the schedule launch at midday, with a press conference to follow. I rescheduled your meeting with Mr. Carson to this evening. You'll be meeting for dinner and I'll make sure your suit is back from the cleaners in time."

"Perfect. I've made up my mind about _Darlings_. It's getting the cut and being replaced by _Britain's Top Dog_."

"Are you sure about that? There are already too many reality shows; we won't stand out at all. We should be offering something different to pull in an untapped demographic."

"My mind is made up. This will be cheaper to produce in the long run. Please finalize the schedule and have it on my desk by eleven."

"Right." John closed his notepad and stood to leave the office. He couldn't help but think that Robert was making a tremendous mistake. There were no hour-long dramas on the fall schedule, yet no fewer than a dozen reality shows. All of their competitors featured at least one drama each night, with a few comedy series to round out the schedule. No, this was not going to end well at all. Resigned to his helplessness, John set out to complete the work assigned to him. It was times like this he longed for his former life. Perhaps not all of it. He could do without Vera in his life, but how he missed teaching and making a difference. Now, he just contributed to the dumbing down of society. Really, a dog talent show!? John huffed out a sigh. He really needed to get his life back on track. And soon.

Needing a distraction, he logged into his email in hopes that there would be a response from Anna. As if the gods were looking down on him, there was. With a smile on his face, he sat back to read.

_Good morning John,_

_It was so lovely to hear from you this morning. I must confess something, and please don't think less of me, but I had no memory of writing to you last night. I hate to admit it, but I was slightly inebriated when I decided to message you. I needed the liquid courage as my friend was over last night helping me through the process. However, I have no regrets. As soon as I saw your picture this morning, I was immediately reminded of what drew me to you. It was your soulful eyes and your words. I'm so glad I messaged you and I am very much looking forward to getting to know you._

_I apologize, I must be brief this morning. I overslept tremendously; I'm sure you can guess the reason why, and now I am terribly behind on my work. I have my first major runway show in a few weeks and I'm deep in the finishing stages as I type. I hope you're having a wonderful day, and that I hear from you soon._

_Anna_

Well, that was definitely not what he was expecting to read from her, but he did appreciate her honesty. And it seemed that she fancied him! Soulful eyes. He tried to catch his reflection in his computer monitor. Were his eyes soulful? He didn't think so, but as his mother always reminded him, beauty was in the eye of the beholder. He glanced at the time. It wouldn't take him long to finish the schedule, so he figured he had enough time to write Anna back. With a boost to his self-confidence, he set out to write his response. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all.

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Next chapter: John and Anna progress a little further in their relationship, and John faces some drama in the work place


	4. Workplace Developments

**I was going to hold of until Sunday, but it looks like my weekend will be busier than I was anticipating, so you all will get this a few days early. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Same as before.**

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After her breakfast, Anna's hangover subsided enough that she could continue on with her day. She had to admit, receiving a response from John went a long way to helping her mood. She heard Mary's warnings lingering in the back of her mind, but discarded them for now. She was a grown woman and free to make her own decisions, and her love life was certainly something she preferred to navigate on her own.

She didn't understand what the big deal was anyway. So what if he was several years older than her? She wasn't one to discriminate based on age. And this John certainly didn't look his age. In fact, he looked quite a bit younger than his stated age. And it was obvious he had some sort of past. She could sense there were some secrets behind those hazel eyes. But really, everyone has a past. Some more scandalous than others, but Anna Smith always prided herself on seeing the best in people, and looking past the rough edges. Her whole career revolved around finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, so why couldn't she take them same approach with men? No, she was going to go with the flow and let whatever happens, happen.

With this new resolve, Anna set out to work on her designs. She had only three weeks until London's Fashion Week and her very first runway show. This could be the make or break moment for her career. A successful show in London could mean a show in New York, or even Paris. Mostly, she wanted her clothes to be available for the ordinary shopper and was hoping her exposure at such a large event like Fashion Week would provide her with a department store contract so that she could offer a wider distribution for her creations. Anna wanted to be a household name.

She made sure every stich was perfect, every embellishment in the correct spot and every zipper worked perfectly, and by midday, Anna had decided that she'd spent enough time working on her clothes for one day. She stood surveying her work area, a modest sized loft space on the third story of her flat. Everything had its place, though right now she couldn't tell exactly what those places were. Half dozen mannequins stood in various areas of the room, most of them clothed in the pieces Anna had just about fully completed, save for a detail here or there. One wall held floor to ceiling windows overlooking the quiet neighborhood she called home. Another wall held a corkboard full of her sketches for how each piece should look once finished, while yet another wall housed all of her supplies, neatly organized in compartments.

And to think she'd once had nothing but a small button box no more than a decade earlier. Anna Smith had come a long way, yet she had plenty of work still to do. Like start arranging her models for the runway show.

Making her way over to her office area, Anna found her cell phone and began dialing her favorite modeling agency, hoping she could book some quality models for her big debut. While she waited for the line to connect, she sat down at her desk and began absentmindedly scrolling through her emails. She'd not checked since this morning and knew she'd have several work related emails waiting for her. She also hoped to have something back from John, or maybe not considering the confession she made to him that morning. She didn't want to get her hopes up, as John may decide to never again speak to the crazy woman who pretty much did the email equivalent of drunk dialing the day before. Oh, why did she have to be so foolish!

Finally, the line connected and she booked a group of models to come into her workshop next week to try on the clothes and provide her with a brief audition. She'd booked Mary months in advance, only trusting her very best friend to walk in her finest, finale piece. Upon disconnecting the call, she happened to notice that John had managed to send her a reply this morning, shortly after she'd sent hers. Now the question was whether or not to respond right away, or was this like a phone call? Was there a certain amount of time she needed to wait so as not to appear desperate? What were the rules? Perhaps she needed to see what he wrote first. And then she'd possibly need reinforcements, meaning she'd need to call Mary for advice.

Clicking on his name to open the email, Anna began to feel the oddest sensation in her chest. Almost like she'd lost her breath for a brief moment, or like her heart had skipped a beat. She could feel as little droplets of moisture began to appear on her brow. Were these nerves she was feeling, or the combination of anticipation and dread? Who knew she'd be so jittery to read an email?

_Dear Anna,_

_ I could never think less of you for emailing me in a slightly altered state of mind. If it would make you feel any better, I couldn't tell when I originally read your email, nor could I detect it after knowing of your state at the time. I'm sure you're without fault in this manner, as I'm sure you are in most matters. There's nothing wrong in needing a little liquid courage from time to time. In fact, I wish I'd been able to obtain some courage in that way when I first signed up for this site, but that method and I are, shall we say, no longer on the best of terms. But again, that's a story for another time. I don't want to burden you with my problems._

_ I'm very flattered that my old, battered face drew you in. I must say, I don't see it in myself, but I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That's just something my mother has to remind me of from time to time. I must admit though, I was quite enchanted by you as well. If your fashion career doesn't pan out, I daresay you could very well find yourself in a magazine one day. You're very beautiful. I hope you don't mind me saying that. I find it much easier to say such things through type than perhaps I'd say to you in person. In fact, I doubt I'd even have had the courage to approach you out in the real world. You're far too beautiful for me, though I feel like I've said that so much already._

_ Unfortunately, I must be brief as well. It's a busy day for us at the office, and it sounds like you'll be busy yourself. I wish you the best of luck in preparing for your show, and hope to hear from you soon. If not, I understand._

_John _

Having finished reading his email, Anna couldn't understand why he was so self-deprecating. His looks were quite fine to her. He was incredibly handsome in an unconventional way. He didn't look like he spent hours in the gym, which was something she was looking for in a man. He had real substance. In fact, she almost wanted to meet him in person to see what he actually looked like, and if there was actually any chemistry between them before she fell too deep. The horror stories she'd heard of men on the Internet turning out not to be who they said they were lingered at the back of her mind. She really didn't know this man all that well yet, aside from his hobbies, his career and his favorite literature. But yet, something drew her to him. A pull she couldn't ignore. And from the sound of his last email, it was possible he felt the same. She would respond later and request for them to meet. Or at least chat on the phone. All rules of dating suggested that the woman should sit back and allow the man to pursue. But Anna Smith didn't get as far as she did by playing by the rules. She was going to throw those rules out the window and pursue him. If he retreated, well, at least she'd tried.

Looking at the time stamp on the email, she noticed that he'd only emailed her an hour ago. Surely that was too soon to respond, even by her unorthodox standards. She wanted to show interest, but at the same time didn't want to appear desperate or obsessive. Seeing that she actually had a bit of spare time before she needed to start running her errands, Anna decided to click back into John's profile to try to analyze his profile for any hidden facts about him. Just when she'd entered his page, she noticed he was online and available to chat. Should she initiate a conversation? Surely that was better than an email. Once again, Anna decided to be proactive and initiate conversation.

* * *

Sitting at his desk waiting for Robert to return from his lunchtime executive meeting, John attempted to make himself busy. He was caught up on his email correspondence and the phones were surprisingly quiet for the enormity of the day. There were no appointments to make and no errands to run. Solitaire wasn't doing much to hold his attention either, he absentmindedly clicking through the cards. John tried to avoid using the Internet for personal use during business hours, however he was just so bored! He decided to go on the dating website again to see if anything was happening. Perhaps he'd pop into Anna's profile and stare into her eyes for entirely too long, wishing she were in front of him and not trapped inside a computer monitor. He wasn't logged on long when the sound of a chime echoed from the speakers.

_A: Good afternoon, John._

It was Anna! It was as if thinking of her made her appear. Well, appear in conversation, and sadly not in person. All of the sudden he'd found something much more engaging than a game of solitaire.

_J: Hello Anna, how are you today?_

_A: I'm well. Just taking a little break from work before I have to head out on some errands. Fancy seeing you here _

_J: Well, I have a bit of free time, so I thought I'd pop in here for a bit. My boss is in a meeting so I'm holding down the fort._

_A: Sounds exciting. Have you had a busy day?_

_J: It was busy this morning, but I've hit a lull now. It seems even with taking breaks to email you, I've still managed to get ahead on work. I think you motivate me._

_A: Well, I'm happy to hear I've some use to you already! I wish I had that same motivation._

_J: Oh?_

_A: Yes, I've had some trouble focusing today and I think it's your fault._

_J: Really? What have I done for you to be this unmotivated today?_

_A: Well, it's the simple fact that I can't get you off my mind. I know it's not lady-like for me to say such a thing, but that's not who I am._

_J: Well, I daresay I'm flattered. And you seem very lady-like to me, regardless of what you say. And I must admit you've been on my mind much of the day as well. My boss even caught me daydreaming!_

_A: I hope you didn't get in trouble!_

_J: No, he understood. This whole thing was his idea anyway, so any further lapses in concentration can be pinned to him._

_A: I'm very glad he convinced you to give this a go. Please give him my thanks._

_J: Well, I would but it would go to his head and there will be no stopping him after that._

…

_J: What have you got planned for the rest of the day?_

_A: I have several errands to run and I need to meet with hair and makeup artists for my upcoming show. How about you?_

_J: Oh, this and that. Whatever Rob comes up with me to do between now and quitting time._

_A: Well, I was thinking…would you like to meet for a drink sometime soon? I think I can make some room in my schedule for you. I mean, if you'd like. I'd love to get to know you better._

_J: That sounds lovely._

The sound of Robert's door opening and voices emerging caused John to fluster. It seemed his chatting with Anna was going to come to an end.

"John," Robert's voice boomed through the reception area. "I need you to push back my dinner with Charles. And then get into my office."

For the life of him, John couldn't figure out what he had done to get Robert so angry. Maybe the meeting didn't go well, and that was why he was mad. Maybe it had nothing to do at all with John. He'd try not to panic for now and complete the task assigned to him. And sadly this meant his chat with Anna would need to come to an end.

"Right, Mr. Crawley. Should I push it back for an hour, or reschedule for another day?"  
"See if you can push it back. If not, reschedule for Thursday."

"Will do."

_J: Sorry, work calls. I'd love to meet up though. Send me a message with your availability and we'll make something work._

_A: Sounds good. I can see you're already back into 'assistant' mode. I'll email you._

_J: Bye Anna_

_A: Bye John_

John logged out of Soulmates in shock. Had Anna, beautiful, stunning, wonderful Anna, just asked him out? He of the greying temples and crinkled eyes? Not to mention the slightly doughy mid-section of a man in his mid-forties. He knew Robert had given him tasks to complete, but he couldn't seem to exit out of the complete shock of what had just transpired. How was he supposed to function through the remainder of his day now?

He'd need to find a way, however, as it seemed his boss and best friend was not a happy camper. Picking up the phone, he quickly called Charles Carson, the CEO of the network to reschedule their dinner meeting.

As usual with the executives, Charles' secretary, Elsie answered the call. John always enjoyed dealing with Elsie. She was one of the more organized and efficient secretaries at the network. He suspected something might be going on between the two, but since neither were married and always remained professional, he didn't concern himself with such matters. Plus, he never liked getting involved with office drama. He had enough in his own life to last eternities.

"Elsie, this is John calling from Mr. Crawley's office to reschedule the dinner meeting with Mr. Carson for tonight. Mr. Crawley has stated that something rather pressing has come up and he needs to reschedule for a later time tonight, or another day. Will that be possible?"

"Hi John, I'll need to confirm with him and get back to you. He's been on a rather intense phone call for the past hour. Please let Mr. Crawley know that I'll have to return your call."

"Thank you Elsie," John answered with a kind tone in his voice. "I'll let him know. Oh, how was that short rib recipe I gave you. Have you tried it out yet?" John knew Elsie was fond of cooking, and it was one of the things the two tended to bond over whenever they had the opportunity to chat. John had to admit, their closeness in age compared to some of the younger employees helped as well. They often found themselves sharing recipes and chatting of other mundane things. John wasn't the most social person, but even he had to admit it was nice having someone else to talk to at work besides Robert.

With that thought, he was reminded that Robert had ordered him to his office a few minutes ago, so he promptly ended the call, not before saying he'd want to know how she liked the latest recipe he gave her.

After hanging up the phone, John stood from his desk and grabbed his notepad, just in case, before heading into Robert's office to see what all the fuss was about. He knocked and waited for the call to enter.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes. I just got off a rather long conference call regarding the fall schedule, and it seems the finalized schedule that was released had _Darlings_ remaining on the schedule, and _not_ _Britain's Top Dog._ Any idea how that happened? As I recall, you were the one to put together the final schedule."

John knew that he had changed the schedule to Robert's exact specifications, and had a hunch as to how it was changed the way it was. _Barrow. That slimy intern. _Stating who did it would make it seem like he was placing the blame on someone else, or making excuses, and that was not how John prided himself in working. The honorable thing to do would be to take the blame.

"I'm sorry. I must have mistakenly forgotten to change that part of the schedule. My mind was on other things. I'm sorry. I know it will cost the company money. I'll have my resignation to you in the morning."

"John, this isn't only just on you. This could have tremendous ramifications for me, as well." Robert raised his voice; "we could _both_ lose our jobs over this! After all I did to get you this job, _this_ is how you repay me? By getting distracted?"

"I'm sorry. I know that's not enough, but it's the best I can offer."

"You're damned right it's not enough! What was the distraction? That woman again?"

John was seething with anger. It was one thing for John to have to fall on his own sword, but he would not have Robert disparage the good name of someone he didn't even know. Not that John knew her very well either, but he knew enough of her to know she did not deserve to be referred to as _that_ anything. That was a term reserved for someone of Vera's kind. "She's not _that _woman. Her name is Anna and she deserves to be referred to as such. She is nothing like Vera."

"Well then, what is she doing that's causing you to be so distracted? This is completely out of character for you, John. I can't go to Charles and explain that _Darlings_ was accidentally renewed because a woman distracted my assistant when he was typing up the schedule. Now we're on the hook to air those shows. Thankfully they'd already started production with the assumption they'd be renewed, but if they air and don't do well, it's my neck and yours John."

"I understand. Like I said, I'll hand in my resignation if you'd like. But Robert," John implored, slipping into a more familial tone, "I really think they'll do better than a dog talent competition. With a bit more promotion, I think you could really have a success on your hands."

"You'd better hope so. You can hold off on your resignation for now and just hope we're both not fired within the next few weeks. Were you able to reschedule with Charles? I'm not ready to face him just yet."  
"I spoke with Mrs. Hughes, but Mr. Carson was on the other line and she was unable to confirm a new time. She said she'd get back to me."

"Right then. Well, why don't you go back to wait for her call. And please, get Barrow to work on the promotions for _Darlings_. If we're going to save our jobs, we're going to bloody well need to promote it."

"Yes, sir." With that, John rose and gathered his notepad to leave the office. As soon as he shut the door behind him he let out a long exhalation. Thomas Barrow was going to be a dead man. He wasn't going to allow himself to be sabotaged by that smarmy little maggot of a man. Ever since John was hired as Robert's assistant, Thomas had been out to make his life a living hell. Most of the time John stayed one step ahead, always catching onto Thomas' tricks before they damaged John. Except this time. He was distracted by thoughts of Anna, but that was no excuse. He'd need to work hard to make sure Thomas' plan backfired once again. Even if that meant coming up with a promotion plan himself. _Darlings_ would be the success he was confident it could be, Robert would be saved and Thomas would come out with egg on his face. John chuckled to himself. _I'm sure egg is not what Thomas wants on his face._

With this new resolve, John sat down at his desk. He suddenly had a real purpose. But first, he needed to check his email. He really wanted to talk to Anna again. He logged on to his email account and sure enough, Anna had emailed. And she wanted to know if they could meet this weekend. John may have been on the cusp of losing his job, but at least now he had a date. Perhaps his luck was about to change.


	5. What to wear, what to wear

**A/N: I apologize for the delay! I got a late start to this chapter, but I'll do my best to have the next one up by Sunday.**

**Thank you for taking the time to read this little story and provide feedback. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see and I'll try to fit it in ;) I hope you all enjoy this one, just a bit of filler before the big first date! **

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John and Anna managed to email back and forth just enough to schedule a lunch date for that Saturday. This of course sent John into a panic as it was already Thursday evening and he hadn't decided where he and Anna should meet for the first time. They agreed that although coffee or a drink was recommended for a first meeting, they both preferred something a bit more substantial. Anna left it up to him to choose the place, so he could pick somewhere as casual as he liked. He wanted to make a good first impression, so he didn't want to choose somewhere too casual, or on the other end of the spectrum, too fancy. He wanted to go somewhere they'd both feel comfortable and allow themselves to talk freely and really get to know one another. It had been longer than he cared to admit since the last time he went on anything resembling a date and he had no idea where to go, how to act or especially what to wear. What does one wear when meeting an up-and-coming fashion designer for a casual lunch? He tore through his wardrobe, wishing he had a more ample selection. Most of his clothes consisted of suits and dress shirts for work, or conversely, worn jeans and t-shirts. He let out a prolonged sigh as he stood in front of his wardrobe. None of this would do. He was going to need to call in reinforcements.

Rummaging through the pile of discarded clothes on his bed, he found his cell phone and dialed the number of his best friend. As it was after work hours, that's what he considered Rob, even with the tension that existed between them over the past week with the _Darlings_ mix up. The phone rang several times before Rob finally answered, John thinking that it probably took him a while to locate his phone in the grand estate he called home on the outskirts of the city.

"John, mate, what's going on?"

John wasted no time in getting to the point of his call. After all, with it being Thursday night already, time was of the essence.

"I need help. I have a date Saturday and I have no idea where to take her or what to wear." Rob could hear the panic evident in John's voice.

"Who are you going on a date with? Do I get to say 'I told you so' about signing up for the dating website? Ohhhh, I can't wait to say those words to you, Bates!"

John chuckled through the phone line. "Now don't act too smug. It's only a first date. It may not amount to anything. And it's with Anna. I just want to make a good first impression since it's been so long since I last dated. I feel like I've forgotten the most basic things."

A light bulb seemed to flash inside Rob's head, "Wait a minute, is this the same Anna that 'distracted' you into making that major oopsie with _Darlings_?"

"Yes," John sighed. "I thought we agreed no work talk outside of work, there mate. I called to talk to about help with a date, not my shortfalls as your assistant."

"Right, sorry. So, what do you need my help with? Need I remind you I'm not the most romantic of men and have not dated in near on thirty years? Maybe you should talk to Mary."

"You can pass me over to Mary once we figure out where I'm taking Anna. You're the man about town. I need to take her somewhere casual, yet upscale. And somewhere quiet so we can talk and get to know each other better. Any ideas?"

"I'll give it some thought and get back to you tomorrow. I'm sure you don't want to take her to any of our usual spots for work. How about someplace close to your place?"

"No way. I don't want her to get the wrong idea that I'm meeting her someplace close to my flat so we can go back there after lunch. That's not who I am, and I'm fairly certain that's not who she is either."

"Fair point. Though you must admit, thirty years ago that would have been your game, John and don't you even try to deny it."

John knew Rob was right. Thirty years ago he would not have hesitated to meet a girl and bring her back to his place. But a lot had changed since then. He had changed. But then, twenty years of being married to the wrong person tended to bring about change in a rather harsh reality. He shuddered just thinking about Vera and the pain she had inflicted on him over the years. The pain she was _still_ inflicting upon him, even though the ties that bound them together were in the process of being severed for good. The fact of the matter was, he was free, but not completely.

"Be that as it may Rob, I'm in no place to go sleeping around right now. My oats have been sowed. And like you have said to me many times over, I need something real and pure to remove the lingering taste of evil. Anna is the best option to have come along, and I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but I really like her so far, and I hope she's as genuine and kind in person as she is through email. And it certainly doesn't hurt that she's stunning. Way too good for me, I'm sure. I guess this is why I'm so overcome with nerves right now. Everything has to be right."

Rob knew he needed to talk his friend down. "John, you need to calm down and take a step back. You can be excited, but don't build her up in your mind as some perfect person. Chances are, you're not going to meet her and want to marry her right away. Just relax. Be yourself and everything will work out. You're a wonderful, good-looking guy, and if she has any sense at all, she'll see what the rest of us see, and will want to get to know you too. Right now, it's just one date. You're just getting back into the swing of things. You'll be ok. I promise."

"Thanks, mate." Somehow, Rob always knew exactly what to say when it came to his personal life. John could feel himself calming, his heart rate returning to normal, and his self-esteem strengthening slowly. "How about passing me over to Mary now. I could use a bit of fashion advice from the runway model."

"Ok, let me see if I can find her. Lucky for you, she decided she could spare a night to visit her old parents for a meal."

John listened as Rob walked through the vast house looking for his daughter, barely muffling the shouts of her name through the phone. Finally, after what felt like several minutes, John was passed over to speak with Mary.

"Hello John, so Papa said you needed to speak to me about something, but he didn't tell me what."

"Yes, well it's not something he can really help me out with. At least, I don't want him to. I trust your input far more than I do his in this matter."

"Well, what is it?"

John tried to hide the awkwardness in his voice. This was not something he typically spoke with anyone about, let alone his best friend's daughter. "You see, I have a date with this woman I met recently, well, I haven't actually _met_ her you see, it's sort of an online thing, and well I want to make a good first impression, but the problem is I don't have anything decent to wear, or at least nothing that would be appropriate for the occasion. In fact, I don't even know where to begin. I was hoping you'd help me out…?" John trailed off quietly and waited for a response from Mary. He was honestly expecting her to laugh in his face. What she actually said surprised him.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

John thought for a moment, just to make it seem like he had some semblance of a social life. "Nothing, just watching the telly, what did you have in mind?"

"Well, luckily for you, Matthew is out of town visiting his mother this weekend which leaves me with some free time. Can you meet me after work? We'll go have a scoot through the shops and find you some new clothes. I've seen your casual wardrobe and you were right to ask for my help."

Glancing over at the pile of clothes on his bed, he knew Mary had a point. "Alright. After work tomorrow, even though I despise shopping. That's how much I like her."

"I'll text you with where to meet tomorrow afternoon. Ciao."

With that, Mary had ended the call and John found himself feeling slightly more comfortable about his upcoming date with Anna. As he thought about it, the worst first date in the world would most probably be more fun than clothes shopping with Mary.

Now if only he could find a restaurant. Finding his laptop, he made himself comfortable and began to browse the Internet. He really needed to let Anna know where to meet, and soon, so she could prepare as well.

Friday morning arrived and Anna was pleased to find she had an email from John. Even though they were planning to meet on Saturday, they still kept up regular correspondence. She liked to think it was because they had such ease about their conversations and were already comfortable with each other in talking about the mundane aspects of their day-to-day lives. As Anna had hoped, John's email contained the name of a restaurant where they were to meet for lunch, as well as his mobile number in case anything came up on her end where she'd need to change the plans at the last minute. After she responded to John's email confirming that she'd received the information and provided her own mobile number, Anna immediately went online to look up the name of the restaurant to scope out the atmosphere and get an idea of what she should wear.

John had picked out a casual bistro café, which was situated in her neighborhood only a few blocks away from her flat. She wondered briefly whether he knew that, but dismissed it just as quickly. They had yet to discuss where they both lived in the city, so he could not have chosen the restaurant based on that. All in all, the menu looked delicious and the atmosphere inviting and conducive to having a conversation. She was very much looking forward to their meeting now, if only slightly apprehensive. As excited as Anna was, she couldn't help the nerves that appeared from the thought of going back to the dating scene and facing the uncertainty, but also the promise of a first date. She tried not to think about the fact that she could be meeting her future husband tomorrow. She didn't want to set her expectations too high and wind up disappointed. It was better to go in expecting the worst and being pleasantly surprised if they decided to continue seeing each other.

* * *

Anna shut her laptop and tried to continue on with her tasks for that day. She had many outfits she needed to complete. There were now only two weeks remaining until her debut runway show and there was still much left to complete. Except she could not focus for the life of her. Every time she attempted to perfect a stich or fix a zip, her thoughts drifted to John. Would he look like his picture? What would his voice sound like? Perhaps she should call him first. No, she wouldn't want to bother him now, or give him the idea that she was cancelling on him. That was the last thing she intended. No, she would wait until tomorrow. Unable to focus on her outfits for her show, her thoughts shifted to tomorrow and what she would wear.

Leaving her work behind in her workroom, Anna headed down the hallway to her bedroom to peruse through her own wardrobe. Unlike John, Anna was spoiled for choice and really couldn't decide what she should wear. It was still technically summer and unseasonably warm, so should she opt for a cute dress? Perhaps she should wear something more casual. Perhaps a pair of skinny jeans paired with a smart top and towering heels. From what she could recall of John's physical description, she was a good deal shorter than him, so heels would almost definitely be required.

One by one, dresses, tops and jeans were pulled from her wardrobe and tossed onto her bed. The most likely candidates were held in front of her body as she stood in front of her mirror, and turned her head side to side, studying the colors against her skin tone and the drape of her fabric over her lithe frame. She really had no idea what to do. Perhaps she should have Mary come over to help her choose.

Anna walked back down the hallway to her workroom where she'd left her mobile and dialed Mary's number. She figured since this whole online dating thing was her idea anyway, she should be required to come over to help her prepare for her first date as a result of it.

After several rings, Mary answered, "Anna! I wasn't supposed to meet you today, was I? I thought we were doing our final fitting next week?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. I'm afraid I'm calling you about something a bit more personal."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, remember last week when you came over and we set up an online dating profile for me"?

"Ah yes. If I recall correctly, you wound up completely plastered after three bottles of wine. Not to mention, the wine completely clouded your judgment at the end and I remember having to persuade you out of contacting quite a few unsuitable men."

Such a statement probably should have offended Anna, but then she remembered she and Mary had completely different ideas as to what was considered suitable. There were many a time when Mary would date quite a few dodgy men and act inappropriately enough that Anna would have to come to her rescue and extract her from more than one sticky situation.

"Well Mary, need I remind you that we have completely different tastes when it comes to men. And actually, I have a date tomorrow with one of the men you so harshly dismissed as unsuitable." Anna couldn't resist adding a smug tone to her voice as she continued, "As it turns out, we seem terribly suited for each other and I'm very excited to meet him for lunch. But…I can't decide what to wear. Will you help me?"

"I suppose. But I'll need some details first. And I can't come over tonight. I have to help one of Papa's friends with something this evening. I can come over tomorrow morning?"

"I guess that will do."

"Fine, now tell me, who is this man you're meeting? I'll need to know as much as possible, that way the police will know who to go after when you end up missing."

"Mary! That will not happen! We're just meeting for lunch, in a very public place. I trust him. There's just something about him that puts me at ease."

"Yes, well," Mary huffed, "that's what they all say right before they go missing. What's his name?"

"His name is John. And that's all you'll get from me. I appreciate you being protective, but I need to trust my instincts on this. I'll be fine."

Resigned, Marry replied, "If you insist. But I want you to text me when you arrive at the restaurant and when you make it home safely. Otherwise, I'm calling the police."

"Fine!"

"Good, I'll see you in the morning. Try to narrow down your options before I get there. You wouldn't want to be late!"

"Top ten choices. I'll see you in the morning."

Anna ended the call and tossed her mobile aside. She headed back to her bedroom to tackle the contents of her wardrobe once again. She had some work to do to whittle her options down to ten. She didn't even want to think how long it would take her to decide on shoes and accessories, not to mention hair and make-up. Anna sat down on the edge of her bed, her head suddenly spinning. Oh to be a man! She could not imagine John having this much difficulty preparing.

* * *

Miles away, in the heart of the city, John chanced a glance at his watch. It was just about time to head out. He'd had a full day of preparing the promotional blueprint for _Darlings_ and had almost forgotten about having to meet Mary at the shops. If it weren't for the text she had sent him an hour ago with the location they were to meet, he most definitely would have forgotten. Shutting down his computer and saying a quick goodbye to Mr. Crawley, John headed for the elevators. Mary had texted him to meet her at a men's department store not too far away from the office. Inwardly he hoped the store would have a large selection so they could find everything he needed in one place and go home in short order. His favorite cooking program was on that night and he really hated missing it.

John arrived out front of the department store at exactly the time he was supposed to meet Mary. He looked around and looked at his watch again and confirmed Mary must be running late. He leaned against the outer wall of the store and fiddled with his phone, attempting to be as inconspicuous as possible. Lord, he hated shopping. Mary needed to hurry up so he could pick out some shirts and then go home.

Finally, after what seemed like forever to John, Mary finally arrived.

"Nice of you to finally get here." John could not hide the touch of annoyance in his voice.

"Well, do you want my help or not? I can happily go home. Or go share a bottle of wine with a friend. It's up to you."

All John had to do was think of his sorry excuse for a wardrobe and the choice was made for him. "No, no. I do need your help."

"That's what I though. Now what were you looking to get?"

"I don't know. I have plenty of jeans, and suits and dress clothes, just no casual shirts. I don't want to show up wearing something embarrassing or completely out of style. And I definitely don't want to seem old."

Mary never knew John to be concerned with his looks, or his age. There must be something about this woman he wasn't telling her. She resolved to obtain as much information as she could during this excursion.

"Well, at least we know where to begin, let's get to it, shall we?"

John and Mary rode up the escalator to the casual menswear section. John followed Mary, half-heartedly picking up a shirt or touching a sleeve as Mary went from rack to rack, grabbing shirts along the way. Before John knew it, he was being shoved into a fitting room with about a dozen shirts to try on while Mary waited outside.

Mary sensed her opportunity to dig for information seeing as how John was virtually trapped in a small fitting room. His only way out would be to go through her.

"So," Marry started, "tell me about this date of yours. What's her name? What does she do?"

John began unbuttoning his dress shirt, and pulled it off before picking up Mary's first selection. It, like most of the others, was a simple long-sleeved, plaid shirt. Not bad. He shrugged on the shirt and began buttoning before answering Mary's questions. "Her name is Anna and she's in fashion."

"Ah, no wonder you're so concerned about your outfit. And how old is this Anna?"

"She's in her early thirties. Now, before you say anything, she approached me. I didn't approach her, so I'd prefer if you not call me a cradle robber."

"I'd never do such a thing! Not to your face anyway. I wonder if I know her, if she's in fashion. What's her last name?"

"I've no idea. We haven't exchanged that information yet. She probably wants to make sure I'm not a serial killer first."

"Rightly so. How's it coming in there?"

"You've chosen well. I like how you kept it simple. It's not too much plaid is it?"

"Well, it's a start. Finish up in there and then we'll pick out some polo shirts and jumpers. Maybe a jacket or two, as well. How are you on shoes?"

John sighed. So much for getting out of here in short order. "I have plenty of shoes. Right, I'm done in here. Let's move on."

Around an hour later, John and Mary left the store laden with shopping bags. John had a brand new casual wardrobe and was ready for his date with Anna. Mary had even helped him choose his outfit.

"Thank you for your help, Mary. I really appreciate it."

"It was no problem. Good luck tomorrow. If anyone deserves happiness, it's you." John hailed a taxi for each of them, and after a brief hug, they were each on their way.

* * *

As Mary sat in the back of the taxi to head home, she reflected on the conversation she had with John about his date. He said her name was Anna and she worked in fashion. Oddly enough, her best friend was also named Anna and worked in fashion. And just happened to be going on a date the next day with a man named John. Well, if this wasn't curious. She'd have to interrogate Anna further when she saw her the next day. And have a chat with Papa. He always knew everything when it came to his best friend's personal life. Perhaps she should throw this whole modeling gig aside and become a professional interrogator. She was certainly cut out for it.

* * *

**Next time...the big date. Also, some more time with Anna since her parts were a little light this chapter.**


	6. A Very Important Date

**A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone. I kind of got kangaroo punched by life and couldn't really find the time and then the motivation to write. But, I've got a lot of free time now, so expect more frequent updates. Without further ado...the (hopefully) much anticipated date between Anna and John.**

**Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1**

* * *

Instead of going back to her flat, Mary detoured to her parents' house. She needed to discuss this whole situation with her father, and it was best to have that chat in person. As the cab pulled up at the house, Mary tossed some money for the fare to the driver and quickly headed into the house.

"Papa! Papa!" Mary shouted as she walked through the entry way and into the main portion of the house before her father finally made his presence known at the entry way to the sitting room.

"Mary, what is it? What's all the commotion? I thought you had plans tonight."

"I did have plans. With John. To help him go shopping for something to wear on his date tomorrow. With Anna."

Robert stood there with a confused look on his face toward Mary. He could not understand what she was so worked up about. He knew John had a date tomorrow, and he knew what this date's name was; John had had his head in the clouds over her for the better part of a week. "Yes, I knew that. He has a date with a woman called Anna tomorrow. What's the big deal? I'm glad he's finally dipping his toes back into the dating pool."

"Well, Papa, the big deal is that his date tomorrow is I believe with a certain fashion designer named Anna Smith. Does that ring any bells?"

"Oh! He's going on a date with our Anna? That's wonderful! I think they'd be well suited for each other. She's a wonderful girl, that Anna. Maybe that dating site knows what it's doing after all."

"Papa!" Mary could hold her exasperation back no longer. "The big deal is that you're forgetting one minor detail about John's marital status. He's not a free man."

"He's free enough to go on a few dates," scoffed Robert.

Holding her hand to her forehead Mary replied, "Yes, he may be free to go on a few dates, but I think it will turn out to be much more serious with Anna. I don't want her to get hurt."

"She won't get hurt. Plus, how do you even know it will be serious?"

"Papa! You're the one who just said they'd be well suited for each other. Plus, I've spoken to each of them and they're both very excited about meeting. John was practically gushing about her. And I've never seen him so fussy about his appearance before," Mary finished emphatically. "Mark my words, they'll be a couple very soon. He just better be up front with her."

"Does she know that we know her John is our John?"

"No, but I did warn her not to date him when she saw his profile. But you know how Anna is. She has her own mind, and there's nothing we can do to change it once it's made up."

"Right you are," Robert sighed out.

"I suppose all we can do is let it run its course and see what happens, but you must encourage John to be honest with her if something does come of this. I know Anna and her relationship history too well. Trust is very important to her."

Nodding his head in agreement, Robert concurred. "I doubt that will be an issue. John is a very honorable man, sometimes to a fault. Everything will be fine."

"I hope so. Right, well I better be getting home. I told Anna I'd pop by tomorrow morning to help her prepare for her date."

With a kiss to her father's cheek, she was gone.

* * *

The next morning, Anna awoke bright and early, highly unusual for her, but at least without the aid of her alarm clock. Normally she'd find herself slumbering for another hour or so, never really in much of a hurry to emerge from the cocoon of her duvet before midday on a Saturday. But today was different. She had a date she was very much looking forward to on the agenda after all.

Stumbling out of bed, still slightly groggy from waking, Anna put on her fluffy robe over her pajamas and made her way to the kitchen to start the kettle. She needed one cup of tea in her before she could start her day. Mary was due over in about an hour and she wanted to at the very least be showered by the time she got there.

Anna sat down at her little table and opened her laptop while she waited for the kettle to boil, automatically logging into her email on the off chance that John had emailed her during the night. She knew it was unlikely seeing as they were to meet for the first time in a few hours, but she still held out hope. Sure enough, there was nothing. With slight disappointment, Anna closed her laptop and went about her morning.

An hour later, she was fed and freshly showered and back in her fluffy robe with a towel wrapped around her hair, perusing through her wardrobe to narrow down her outfits. She'd promised Mary she'd have her options whittled down to ten, but as of yet that was not the case. For someone involved in fashion she was quite indecisive when it came to her own wardrobe. After much deliberation, and a last minute check of the weather, Anna decided on a pair of jeans and cut her options for tops down to five, her jacket and cardigan options to three, and her accessory choices for each combination down to two. She'd wait for Mary to make the final choice after she tried on each option. With a quick glance over to her extensive shoe collection she decided that choosing a pair would definitely be a two-person job.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Anna went to answer it knowing it would be Mary. She opened the door and while Mary was there as expected, what Mary was holding was not.

"Good morning! I brought mimosas!" Mary exclaimed while holding up a tote bag containing orange juice and a rather large bottle of champagne.

"Mary! I'm supposed to be getting ready for a date! I can't be drinking this morning!" Anna stepped aside from the doorway while rubbing her forehead with one hand to let Mary into the hallway. Though she was surprised Mary showed up armed with booze once again, she couldn't claim to be shocked. Any excuse for a party with that one.

"I'm not going to get you drunk, don't worry. I figured one couldn't hurt. I'm sure you have a bit of nerves going out to meet a complete stranger for the first time and all. This will just help take some of the edge off."

"Oh, all right," Anna relented. "I'm going to go dry my hair. You can head to the kitchen to prepare the drinks and then go take a look at the outfits I chose. I have them laid out on my bed."

By the time Anna had dried her hair and went back to her room, Mary had a mimosa waiting for her and had narrowed her outfit choices down to three and was starting on the shoes.

"Here," Mary said while handing Anna a champagne glass filled to the brim with mimosa, "have a sip or few of this while you try on these outfits. I'm partial to the skinny jeans and this white top. Pair it with that gorgeous leather jacket you have, maybe a scarf and some accessories and…these," Mary finished as she held out a pair of black, ankle boots.

Anna looked over the outfit Mary had selected, as well as her other options. It was really no contest. Mary had managed to pick out Anna's first choice of outfit and even chose one of her favorite pairs of shoes.

"I think you got it spot on, Mary. I'm not even going to bother trying on the other outfits. I'm going to go get changed and then we can talk hair and make-up."

The nervous flutter Anna had felt all morning, with varying degrees of intensity, started to really make itself known once Anna stepped into her bathroom and closed the door behind her in order to change into her date outfit. Thankfully she'd brought her flute of mimosa in with her. As much as she didn't want to drink before her date, Mary's idea of having one mimosa to calm herself down was inspired. She could feel her nerves ebbing with each sip. Though she couldn't really understand why she was so nervous. She'd been on plenty of first dates before and never really experienced this level of nerves prior to them. Was it because she was meeting this man for the very first time? Most first dates she'd experienced prior were dates with men she'd casually met during a night out, or who were friends of a friend, somehow connected to her social circle already. However Anna knew the real reason. She wasn't nervous because this was essentially a blind date; she was nervous because through their emails she'd grown somewhat attached to him already. _Oh please let this work out_, she thought to herself, as she looked at her completed outfit in the full-length mirror. With that, she opened the door and reentered the bedroom to finish getting ready with Mary.

"Oh Anna! That outfit is perfect! This John guy won't know what hit him when he sees you dressed like that!"

Anna twirled a little to give Mary the full view, "You think? I hope so! There's just something about him, and I know you don't agree, but I really hope this date goes well."

"You're correct. I do have my reservations about this guy, but don't get the wrong idea. I really would like to see you happy, and if this John is the one who brings you that happiness, then I'll gladly eat my words."

"Oh Mary," Anna gushed as she ran forward to give her friend a hug, "that means so much to me!"

"Yes, well, that's enough of that. Let's get your hair and make-up sorted to send you on your way. Oh, your phone went off while you were in the bathroom changing. I think it was a text."

"Oh? I suppose I should check that then." Anna walked over to her phone and looked at her notifications to see that she'd received a text from John. She really hoped he hadn't texted to cancel. Swiping to unlock the phone, she opened his message and read.

_Hi Anna, it's John, just in case you didn't recognize the number. Just wanted to let you know that I'll be heading over to the café in about 30 mins. I'll wait for you outside. Looking forward to meeting you. –J_

Oh thank god he wasn't cancelling! And she couldn't help but think how sweet he was that he texted to let her know he was looking forward to their date. Suddenly whatever remnants of nerves she was feeling flew away, like butterflies being chased in a field.

_Hi John, looking forward to meeting you as well. See you soon. –A _

Anna put her phone back down and walked back over to Mary.

"So, who was the text from?"

"It was just John telling me where to meet him. Now, let's get this hair and make-up situation sorted. It's almost time for me to go."

With that, the girls finished the final touches, Anna deciding on light make-up, her hair in a stylish ponytail and big, dangly earrings.

"Right, so how do I look?"

Mary looked as Anna gave a final twirl, "Ravishing, but not so ravishing that your first date will end up back here, and he'd be crazy not to ask you out on a second."

"Perfect, right well I'm off. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck, text me when you get home so I know you're alive. And for the details of course."

The two friends parted after exchanging kisses on the cheek, Mary flagging a cab and heading one way while Anna walked on foot the other direction to the café to meet John.

* * *

Standing outside the café, John was a bundle of nerves. He checked his watch every thirty seconds, even though he was a few minutes early and knew she was unlikely to arrive yet. Still, he looked up and down the sidewalk for a blonde haired woman who resembled Anna. He had no idea which direction she'd be coming from, or even if she'd arrive by car or foot. He fiddled with the small bouquet of flowers he held in his hand. He thought they might be too much for a first meeting, however he wanted to make a good impression. It's not as if he was holding a bouquet of roses, just a small bouquet of wildflowers. For some reason, those seemed more suited to her. His mother always told him not to show up somewhere empty-handed, and that included a first date.

John's nerves increased with each passing moment. Suddenly he was second-guessing this whole idea of a date. Anna was far too pretty for him. Perhaps he should have eased back into dating with someone closer to his age and level of attractiveness before meeting Anna. He couldn't help but feel as if he was out-kicking his coverage with Anna. _Really John,_ he admonished himself,_ enough with the football analogies_, _Man United don't play until tomorrow._

He brought himself back to the present with a quick shake of his head, only to notice his palms had suddenly become clammy with sweat and he could hear his heartbeat thundering in his ears. A drink would do wonders to calm his nerves, yet that was no longer an option for him. He brought his wrist up once again to check the time, and when he looked up, there she was.

He watched as she approached him from down the street. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked, even more so than from her profile pictures. She was petite in stature, yet compensated with a pair of the highest heels he'd ever seen. Once again he started to think about how out of his element he was at that moment. How was he ever going to form words when all of the moisture had left his mouth and transferred to his palms? John turned before he could maintain eye contact and took a deep inhale and an even longer exhale in an attempt to regain his composure. When he turned back around, she was stood directly in front of him.

* * *

Anna walked up the street toward the café, keeping her eyes peeled as she searched for a man who could be John. As she got closer she saw a man standing in front of the entrance clutching a small bouquet of flowers, turning his head to and fro as if searching for someone. Deciding this man must be John, she took a moment to study him from afar. He was taller than she was expecting, but still looked handsome and younger than his pictures. He also looked incredibly nervous. She noticed how he turned quickly to compose himself just before they were to make eye contact and by the time he turned around she was stood in front of him.

"You must be John?" Not knowing precisely how to greet him, she'd stuck out her hand toward him for him to shake.

John subtly wiped his palm against the denim of his jeans before taking her hand in his to shake. "I am, and you must be Anna? It's a pleasure to meet you." He released her hand before quickly thrusting the bouquet of flowers toward her. "These are for you."

"Why thank you, these are lovely!" Anna brought the bouquet up to her nose to inhale the floral scent. "How did you know these were my favorite kind of flowers?"

"I can't say that I did. I just guessed that these would suit you more than something traditional like a rose. Anyway, shall we go inside? I'm starving."

'Sounds lovely. I'm quite hungry myself. Lead the way."

John opened the door for Anna and allowed her to enter first. A hostess led them to a small table for two next to the window. They sat studying their menus, each trying to work up the nerve to initiate conversation. Finally, it was John who surprisingly made the first move.

"I've not been here before, however my friend who gave me the recommendation swears by the food."

"I've not been here either, though I've walked by several times, just have never stopped for something to eat. I hate to say, but I was always in too much of a hurry to either get home or somewhere else."

"Do you live in the neighborhood then?" John had noticed she'd walked to the restaurant, but he did not want to assume that she hadn't come from somewhere else first.

"I do actually live close by. Just a few blocks to the north of here. I do love this neighborhood."

"Have you lived in the area long?" John asked, out of curiosity.

"A few years. Not the same flat, but pretty much the same neighborhood ever since I finished with my studies. How about you?"

"I've actually just moved down here recently. I have a flat a few miles away."

"What brought you down to London, if you don't mind my asking?"

John hesitated for a moment, struggling with how much he should reveal on a first date. He wanted to be upfront with her, but at the same time didn't want to unload all of his baggage on her at once. He wanted to at least leave the date with a slight hope of seeing her again. Telling all about Vera would do the exact opposite of that.

Anna noticed his hesitation, "You don't have to say if you don't feel comfortable; I won't be offended."

"No, no. We're to be getting to know each other after all. Long story short, I moved down here to make a new start for myself. I was facing a few personal struggles when a friend offered me a job down here, just to get back on my feet again. So, I accepted, packed up my things, and after crashing with him and his family for a few months, I found my own place and here I am."

Knowing there was more to his story, but not wanted to push him further at this time, Anna accepted that was all he wanted to say and changed the subject.

"Well, that sounds very brave. Now, did your friend recommend anything to order? I must say, everything sounds delicious. I've no idea how I'll decide."

After that, the pair decided to stick to lighter topics, easily conversing over their meals and very much enjoying each other's company. Laughter ran free and easy between the two and Anna very much enjoyed John's wit and charm. Though she'd experienced both in their conversations over email and chat, it was entirely different to be on the receiving end of it in person. John on the other hand, could not get enough of Anna's accent. The melodious lilt she used when she spoke was driving him mad. Eventually, John just had to ask.

"I absolutely adore your accent, Anna. What part of England is it from?"

Anna blushed slightly, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. Many men had complimented her on her accent before, but somehow it was even more special coming from John. "I'm a Yorkshire lass, born and bred. No matter how much time I spend in London, I'm afraid I'll never lose the accent."

John smiled, "I would hope you never do. It's beautiful, like you."

"Oh hush you," Anna admonished as she reached across the table to lightly smack him on the arm. "I can't exactly place yours. Where's it from?"

"Oh, all over. Here, there, and everywhere. I was born in Ireland, spent some time in Scotland and Yorkshire, and a bit in London. There are bits and pieces of all those places that will pop out at different times."

"Well, it's fascinating all the same. Now John," Anna asked as she stirred the ice in her drink with her straw, "what would a man like you normally be doing of a Saturday afternoon."

"Well, now that's an easy question. I'd be watching the football. Either on the telly or at Old Trafford. Or wherever my Manchester United are playing that weekend."

"Ah, a football fan. Makes sense. You are a man after all."  
"What about you? Do you follow a team?"

"I can't say that I do. My father follows the Yorkshire teams, but I it never really took with me. I'm usually working at home or out shopping or spending time with friends. Usually working though."

"Well, consider it my mission to convert you to a football fan."

"Oh really Mr…I don't know your last name…"

"It's Bates. John Bates."

"Well, Mr. Bates, you seem quite sure of yourself that there will be more than one date. Awfully cheeky of you."

Suddenly John felt like maybe he'd overstepped the mark and completely misread the signs. He thought for sure that things were going well enough to chance assuming he'd see her again. "No, no. I overstepped the mark. I'm so sorry."

"No!" Anna exclaimed as she reached out to place her hand on his forearm. "I'd very much like to see you again. I was just teasing you."

John could feel her thumb gently stroking the muscles on his arm. He could only hope she couldn't feel how his heartbeat sped up from that simple touch. He cleared his throat and gently removed his arm from under her hand.

"Well Miss…."

"Smith."

"Well Miss Smith, I would very much like to see you again. Unfortunately, I must get on. I promised my mother I'd come over for supper and do some odd jobs for her this afternoon."

John raised his hand to signal the waitress to bring over the bill.

"I would like that very much. And I should get going too. I do have some work I need to finish this afternoon."

John paid the bill, fending off protests from Anna by saying it was the gentleman's duty to pay for a lady on a first date. He doubted Anna would let him off that easy in the future. He could tell already that she could be very feisty when she wanted.

They rose together and left the restaurant, awkwardly standing on the sidewalk outside, neither knowing how to end things.

"I know you said you live only a few blocks away, would it be terribly cheeky of me to ask to walk you home? I just want to be sure you make it home safely."

"That would be lovely, thank you."

They walked the few short blocks towards Anna's flat, engaging in idle chatter along the way.

"Well, this is me," said Anna as they arrived in front of her building."

John turned toward Anna; "I had a lovely time today."

"I did as well. So, I guess I'll talk to you soon?"

"You will indeed." John opened his arms and pulled Anna into an embrace. With a gentle squeeze and a kiss on the cheek he pulled back and watched as she entered the lobby of her building.

The butterflies Anna had thought she'd chased away that morning reappeared, but this time she had no desire to chase them away. Just before he walked away, she turned around and gave him the brightest smile, and received an eye-crinkling smile in return. Hopefully this was the first of many dates. As she stood in her lobby and watched as he walked away, she couldn't help but notice the slight limp in his gait. She'd have to ask him about that next time. But first, she needed to text Mary to tell her she was alive. And very well.


	7. A Mother's Love

_**A/N: If there were any of you eagerly anticipating the next chapter of this story, I apologize for the delay. I wanted to have this out before Thanksgiving, but then writer's block struck, and birthday and holiday festivities, and job searching...But here we are. Things should start really picking up for our dynamic duo soon. Let me know what you think! And for those who did on the last chapter, thanks and I'm working on those too.** _

* * *

John grimaced as he began walking down the street toward the nearest train station. His knee had started to bother him during the walk to Anna's from the restaurant, but he did his best to conceal his pain and walk without a limp. The last thing he wanted was for Anna to question him about it or force him to reveal all before he was ready. As much as he wished he could, he was well aware he would not be able to hide his uneven gait forever. Yet now was not the time to tell Anna about his shameful past. After their date that day, he knew for certain Anna was someone he'd love to see more of and revealing his past before giving her the opportunity to see him as he is now, living a new life, would most likely drive her away. He could only hope that she felt the same. She seemed to enjoy their meal together and exhibited signs that she was interested in him as well – she had been very tactile with her demeanor, after all – yet he couldn't help but feel insecure. Spending so many years with Vera, subjecting himself to her insults and verbal abuse of various degrees about every aspect of his life with no foreseeable way to escape it had withered away what little remained of his self esteem after losing his teaching job. The fact that a woman like Anna garnered any interest in a man like him continued to boggle his mind. Perhaps a talk with his mother would clear his head a bit.

A short journey later, John had arrived at his mother's home. It was a quant three-bedroomed home located on the outskirts of the city center, where John had spent the majority of his childhood. Though he'd spent much of his adult life living outside of London, his mother had decided to remain in his childhood home, mostly alone after the tragic death of his father when John was merely a teenager. He'd never liked the idea of his mother on her own in the big city after that, so moving back to London and taking a job with Robert did have its perks, as now he was closer to his mother and able to visit her whenever he wanted. He couldn't deny that she was getting on in years and it eased his mind considerably to know he was close enough to check in on her and take care of her in her golden years.

John unlocked the door and entered into the front room, "Mam, I'm here, where are you?" He knew she'd most likely be in the kitchen, cooking up a storm if she wasn't in the sitting waiting for his arrival.

Sure enough, he could hear her voice calling to him from the direction of the kitchen, "Johnny, get in here, let me take a look at you."

"Hi, Mam," John said as he leant down to place a kiss on his mother's cheek. Mama Bates had a stocky build, much like John, but not much taller than Anna, John realized as he looked upon his mother. He made a point of studying his mother each time he came to visit, looking for signs that her health might be waning as he knew she'd never tell him herself. He had to admit she looked happy, healthy, and very much well on this day, her cheeks flushed a healthy pink from working in the kitchen and her white hair pulled back into a bun.

"Oh, Johnny, you're looking very smart today. You don't usually dress so nice for a visit to your dear, old Mammy's. What's the occasion?"

Glancing down at his attire, John couldn't understand why she was making such a fuss. He was just wearing jeans and a button-up shirt. Granted his hair was actually done up that day with a bit of product, but other than that, he looked how he normally looked when visiting his mother.

"Oh no reason, Mam. I had a lunch date before I came here and wanted to look a bit nicer than usual. So, what needs fixing?" John asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Oh, ho, ho Johnny, don't go changing the subject on me now! I'll tell you what needs fixing right after you tell me about this date of yours."

Sighing, John relented. He knew his mother well enough to know she wouldn't give up very easily. "Robert talked me into signing up for a dating website, so I met one of my matches for lunch today. It was just a first date, no big deal," John casually remarked.

Mama Bates looked at her son top to toe, studying him. She could tell just by looking at him that this first date was more than 'no big deal.' He had a sparkle in his eye she hadn't seen in what seemed like years, and he seemed even taller than usual. No, this girl was no ordinary first date.

"Tell me about her."

"What do you want to know, Mam?" At this point, John knew he'd have to tell his mother something about his date, otherwise she'd keep asking until he relented.

"Well, what's her name, what does she do, what's she like? Clearly you like her and I want to know all about the girl who's made my Johnny look so genuinely happy."

With a sigh John answered, "Her name is Anna and she's a fashion designer. She's kind, intelligent, gorgeous – way too gorgeous for the likes of me anyway – and I'd really like to see her again."

"Well, she seems lovely," Mama Bates smiled toward John, a twinkle in her eye. "I just want you to find some happiness, Johnny."

"I know, Mam. I want to be happy, too. I think it could be with Anna, I just…I don't know, I don't think I'm good enough for someone like her."

"Now why would you say that? You're a wonderful man, Johnny and if Anna can't see that, then she's obviously not the right woman for you."

Nodding his agreement, John knew that what his mother was saying to him was the absolute truth. He should only be with someone who could love him, checkered past and all.

"My boy, don't worry about what might happen in the future. It's only been one date after all. There's no sense in brooding over something that might never develop into anything more."

"Well, you know me, Mam. I'm a brooder and brooders brood."

"I'm all too familiar with that trait. Your Da was the same way. Just be yourself and see what happens. If she's the kind of girl you think she is, then there should be no problem. Now come here and give your mam a hug."

Needing no encouragement, John enveloped his mother in a tight embrace, stooping down to her level.

"Thanks, Mam. I needed to talk this through with someone." John reached into the cupboard off the kitchen to find his tool belt he kept at his mother's house, securing it around his waist and rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. "Now, what needs fixing?"

The remainder of the day was spent with John completing odd jobs around his mother's house before being rewarded for his troubles with a hearty Irish stew and pudding. As a bonus, he was sent home with a container full of leftovers, as his mother knew he wouldn't want to cook when his football team was on the telly. He had to admit, his mother knew him well. Sometimes too well.

Sitting on the train heading back to his flat, John felt the subtle vibration of his mobile phone in his pocket. His heart rate sped up momentarily as he considered the possibility that it could be Anna texting him. Digging into his jeans pocket, he pulled out the phone nearly dropping it onto the floor of train compartment as he struggled to read whom it was from. His heart rate returned to normal and a brief disappointment settled into his countenance when he realized it was only from Robert. _Oh lord, he hoped it wasn't work related._

_Figured the date has to be over by now, so how did it go? – R_

Thanking the heavens that this was Rob asking this question and not Mary, John fired off a quick response.

_It went well I think. I'd like to see her again. – J_

John had hardly finished locking his screen to put his phone back into his pocket when a new message came through.

_When are you going to call her? – R_

Right now, was what John wanted to reply, but thought better of it. As much as he wanted to see her again, he didn't want to come across as too enthusiastic. It may have been a while since he'd last dated, but he could recall that women tended to run away if they were pursued too eagerly. But then again, he had very vivid memories of Robert's own daughters moaning and complaining when their latest beaus neglected to contact them several times a day. There really was no correct answer when it came to women; that's one thing of which John Bates was certain.

_I'll contact her soon. Don't fret. Gotta go. Talk soon. – J_

As much as John loved talking about Anna, he found voluntarily subjecting himself to one of Rob's interrogations low on his list of priorities that night. He really just wanted to get home, get comfortable, and watch some football highlights from that day's matches before crawling into bed.

_I get it, you don't want me badgering you. Better me than Mary! – R_

John had to chuckle at Rob's latest text. He was right, it could be worse.

_Sorry mate, I'm knackered. Mam worked me hard around her house. We'll talk more tomorrow. Promise. – J_

Soon, the train approached John's stop and within a few short minutes he was home in his tiny flat. He placed his leftovers in the fridge, kicked off his shoes and settled onto his sofa with his remote to check the highlights, hoping for a Chelsea loss.

He rotated his phone with his other hand, contemplating whether or not to send Anna a text, but decided against it when he realized the time. He didn't want to give her the wrong impression. He'd try to find the time tomorrow.

* * *

Anna entered the lobby of her building feeling as if she was walking on air, unable to keep the wide grin from emerging on her face. Her lunch date with John had gone much better than she'd anticipated during the days leading up to it. She'd known from their emails and conversations they'd shared over the past weeks that there would be no shortage of things to discuss and learn about one another, however she had not counted on conversation flowing so easily or feeling as comfortable as she did. And she certainly did not anticipate being as attracted to him as she found herself while sitting across from him at their intimate table for two. In fact, she couldn't recall the last time she'd been on a first date that had gone so well. Many of her first dates in the past had never resulted in a second. Of course, the men always said they would call her, to be polite, but they never did. And to be honest, there were times after dates when Anna would be the one to know, that even if they did wind up calling, she would not incline herself to answer or return their calls. Sometimes she just knew. But this time, no this time she just _knew_ she would hear from him again, and this time she _knew_ she would answer. Because she had a hunch he liked her as much as she liked him.

Perhaps it was the way his eyes crinkled when he looked at her in that adoring way. He was not just listening to her speak out of politeness; he was truly listening to her and appreciating what she had to say. Asking her questions in an effort to get to know her, instead of calculating in his head how long it would take him to get her into bed. Even walking her home, he made no effort to take things further which was unlike other men she had gone on dates with in the past, who thought buying her a drink was an invitation for sex. No, she was very sure that John was a different kind of man.

As she walked through her front door, tossing her keys into the bowl she contemplated texting him right that moment to tell him what a great time she had. She brought the flowers he had given her up to her nose to smell, the fragrant scent wafting into her nose replacing the hint of him that had lingered after their hug before parting. With a happy sigh she carried the bouquet into the kitchen and placed it in the sink while she went about finding a suitable vase.

She subconsciously hummed to herself as she opened cabinet after cabinet searching for what she was looking for. Finally finding the vase she was looking for, Anna delicately arranged the bouquet, placing the arrangement in the center of her dining room table. The whites, yellows, blues, and purples of the wildflowers brought just the right amount of cheer to the room, the gentle aroma of the lavender providing a calmness she had sorely needed in her flat the past few weeks, and would most likely need even more so in the week to come.

The reality was setting in that Anna would be putting on her first runway show in a mere few days and her nerves were most definitely starting to set in. The flutter in her stomach from her date with John was quickly turning into tightness. There was still so much to do. Luckily Mary was to come by Monday to help her in selecting the models that would be walking along with Mary on the runway. For now, she needed to finish the detail work on many of her looks and complete the dress Mary would be wearing as the last item shown on the runway. It was a statement piece to say the least, however it could be the piece to finally put Anna Smith on the map as a premier designer.

The sound of her message alert tone pulled her from her pensive musings, her heart fluttered gently at the passing thought John would have sent the text. With a silent reprimand to herself, Anna made her way over to the counter where she had last left her phone, quickly looking to see who the message was from. She could not hide her disappointment to see a text not from John, but one from Mary. Though why she was surprised she did not know. She had told Mary she would send her a message as soon as she returned home safely and she supposed Mary had held out as long as

she could, whether from worry or curiosity. Anna hoped it was from worry, yet knew curiosity was more Mary's intention.

_Please tell me you're at home and not dead in a ditch somewhere! And if I don't hear a response from you within the next 15 minutes I'll be calling the police. ~ M_

Anna sighed. Mary should be commended for not coming out with the true purpose of her inquiry straight away. Quickly replying to Mary's message to hold off any police interference, Anna sat back and waited for the onslaught to begin.

_I'm home safely and in perfect condition. ~ A_

The message tone sounded almost immediately.

_And…how was it? Do I need to start saving for a Bridesmaids dress? Any Little Johns on the way? ~M_

_No. No impending wedding bells or pregnancies. He was the perfect gentleman. ~ A_

Though if Anna did happen to see John again and he kept up with his gentlemanly qualities, she definitely would not rule out the possibility of wedding bells or Little Johns. And not necessarily in that order. Chuckling cheekily to herself, Anna recalled the size of John, and especially his hands, and assumed there would be nothing _little_ about John.

_Well, here's hoping he's not as gentlemanly next time. You could use a little fun. There will be a next time won't there? ~ M_

Anna smiled, and replied.

_I hope so. I really, really hope so. ~ A_


	8. Finally Fashion Week

**A/N: It's Fashion Week! I don't follow the fashion world and really have no knowledge of such an event minus what I've seen from the early seasons of Project Runway, so hopefully you all can look past that. **

**Disclaimer: Same as the previous seven chapters**

* * *

"Be careful with those dresses!" Anna shouted to the workers helping her transfer her completed collection into a cargo van to go to Somerset House for her very first show at London's Fashion Week. "So help me if I find even _one_ dress dragging on the ground!"

The young men assisting her quickly glanced down to make sure none of the garment bags hanging on the portable clothes racks were anywhere near touching the ground.

They'd never worked for the petite, blonde woman shouting at them from her doorway, but sensed she would make good on her threat should something happen during transport. Anna had worked too long and too hard to have her clothes tarnished before they even hit the runway.

Anna turned and headed back inside, found the mug of tea she had left on the kitchen countertop, gulped the last remnants down and placed the empty mug in the sink. She anxiously looked around her flat, making sure she'd left no important items behind. Her bag with her sewing kit and tools for any last minute repairs sat by the door as well as her steamer, packed and ready to go when she was. Her outfit for during the show was hanging in a garment bag next to it.

The day of Anna's debut fashion show had finally arrived, and needless to say she was a bundle of nerves. She'd spent the past few days working tirelessly, making sure every last stitch was perfect, often forgoing sleep and meals. When she did manage to sleep, her sleep was light and filled with nightmares. She had visions of the dresses disintegrating from the models as they walked down the runway, leaving them as naked as they day they were born by the time they reached the end. She even dreamt no one would show up leaving her in an empty room as loud, pulsating music echoed around her. As excited as she was to present her collection, she absolutely could not wait for the whole mess to be over with so she could enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation. And hopefully a reprieve from stress dreams. Though how much rest and relaxation she'd actually get was a matter of debate as she'd promised her mother she'd travel back up to Yorkshire for her annual end-of-summer garden party the following weekend. Honestly, she had no idea why she was making the time to fulfill her mother's desires when her mother couldn't find the time to make it down to London for her only daughter's very first show. Yet heaven forbid Anna should miss one of her mother's lavish parties.

One of the benefits of having absolutely no free time of late was that she had little time to dwell on the fact that she'd heard nothing from John since their date almost a full week ago. She couldn't understand it; John seemed very interested in her during their date and even said he'd talk to her soon. Since then, no text, no email, and no phone call. Nothing. It just did not make any sense. She hated to admit it, but the first Sunday after their date she'd not let her phone out of her sight. It went everywhere with her, even resting on the sink in the bathroom while she showered, which resulted in a too-close-for-comfort last moment save from plummeting into the toilet bowl. After that, the phone stayed a safe distance away from any sources of water.

By Monday with no response, Anna contemplated texting him first, but then decided against it and instead distracted herself by adding intricate beadwork to one of her dresses. This distraction lasted only until nightfall before Anna logged herself onto Soulmates to see if he'd been online. It wasn't considered stalking if she already had a reason to log-on, right? To her relief, and dismay, she found he had not logged in since before their date. She took some comfort in knowing that though he had not contacted her, it at least appeared that he was not in contact with anyone else at this time. Though why she felt she had any claim to him she could not explain. _This is precisely why I never date_ she had thought to herself several times since then.

By Tuesday she'd come to the conclusion that he was just busy. He was a personal assistant to a high-level television executive after all, so his time must be very much in demand. But still, she was finding it difficult to believe that someone who said he would talk to her soon, and actually seemed to mean it, couldn't find a few seconds out of his day to send even a quick text saying that he was busy, but was still interested. Hell, she'd take a simple "Hi" over radio silence. She had thought he was different, just as she had every man before him, but apparently he was not. So, like she had done in the months, and even years previously, she threw herself into her work. If nothing else came out of the past week of overthinking, and the previous weeks of flirty emails, she could at least feel confident in the fact that she was putting forth a phenomenal line of dresses in her inaugural fashion week.

With that confidence, she gathered her thoughts, and her required belongings, and headed out the door. She had a long, and exciting day ahead of her.

* * *

John sat at his desk absentmindedly clicking through the excessive amount of emails in his inbox. Ever since he commandeered the lead from Thomas on the _Darlings_ promotions it seemed the amount f emails he received on a daily basis had tripled. He spent the majority of his days of late working with various magazines and news outlets throughout the UK in an attempt to get the stars and creators of _Darlings_ involved with as many as possible. The majority of the cast was very likeable and relatable, both as themselves and as their characters, so John knew if he could show that to the viewing public the network could very well have a hit on their hands.

Unfortunately, every time he seemed to make significant progress, an email would come through from one of the outlets confirming a cancellation request. There was no doubt in his mind those were of Thomas' doing, as John would never cancel such hard-earned publicity himself. John would see him conspiring with one of the other interns, their beady eyes glaring at John whenever they would leave for one of their many smoke breaks. That reminded John, he really needed to talk to Robert about the criteria for their interns. Kids like Thomas didn't deserve such an opportunity. Kids who only looked out for their own self-interests and not the good of the whole network.

John could see it every day, the fact that John's tactics were working gnawed at Thomas. The ratings for _Darlings_ had gone up each week, and increased in the most coveted of the advertisers' demographics. John was certain with just a few more weeks of solid promotion, _Darlings _could be considered a hit by the time the finale aired.

In fact, John was certain that if he spun the numbers just so in his final ratings report to Robert, a renewal of _Darlings_ was not out of the realm of possibility. Of course, with the way Robert ran his network, he'd see the possibility of a hit show and promptly cancel the show for good. John had to wonder what Robert would do if John wasn't around to save him from himself.

He clicked away from his emails for a moment and looked at the schedule for the day. They had a full day of appointments and conference calls ahead of them, and Robert was already running late. At this rate, John was going to have to spend the day on the phone canceling and rescheduling meetings.

He took a quick glance at his phone to see if he had any new notifications in the fifteen minutes since he'd last checked. He was looking for a message from Robert regarding his tardiness, but if he was honest, he was really hoping for something from Anna. Though he had no reason to expect to hear anything from her. He was the one who had told her that he'd talk to her soon, and now an entire week had gone by with him doing absolutely nothing.

In hindsight, he probably should have texted her the same day as their date, when he was thinking about it and had the confidence to do so. Now, days had passed and his head was getting in the way of his heart. With each passing day he thought more and more about how she was too good for the likes of him. She was all that he was not – successful, gorgeous, and from what he could tell, baggage-free. As far as he was concerned, she'd do well to stay away from him. No matter what kind of life his mother thought he deserved, he knew the truth. After all the mistakes of his past, he deserved to live a life of solitude and broken dreams.

With a heavy sigh, he shook the negative thoughts from his head and refocused on his work, still wondering where the devil Robert was this morning.

As if John's thoughts were enough to conjure him, Robert came blustering into the office, a cup of to-go coffee in his hand and a hint of annoyance already on his face.

"Rough morning, Mr. Crawley" John asked as he stood from his desk to help Robert off with his coat.

"Oh just the usual trouble with the missus. Be thankful you're not married."

John chuckled, "Believe me, sir, I'm thankful for that almost daily."

"Right, I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. I'm sure Cora at her worst can't even be half as bad as that She-Beast was at her best."

"Quite right. What seems to be the trouble? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Of course I don't mind. We are friends after all, even if _you_ refuse to acknowledge it at work."

"Just trying to maintain some professionalism. You know I don't like people thinking I receive special treatment just because we're old friends."

They both knew it was Thomas John was speaking of.

Robert nodded in agreement. "Well, Cora was having a go at me because I told her I wouldn't have time to go to see Mary walk in her first show today. Apparently, since it's her first one, Cora arranged for the whole family to have front row seats. She claims I'm 'not being supportive of Mary's career' if I beg out of it. Which is true. How am I supposed to support her when she wants to make a career of walking while wearing fancy clothes? It's absurd! Really, the last thing I want to do is sit at a fashion show watching malnourished women walk down a runway, but it seems I have no choice in the matter."

"So, am I right to assume that all of your appointments for today need to be rescheduled?"

"Well, only the middle part of the day. Her show is in two hours."

Inwardly, John was seething. If he wasn't mistaken, Robert was giving him just over an hour to reschedule almost an entire day's agenda. And he couldn't have sent him a text on his way into the office to at least give him some warning? No matter how good of friends they were outside of work, there were some days where John didn't get paid near enough to deal with Robert's shenanigans.

John sat back down at his desk and looked at the schedule for the day once again, already mentally rearranging appointments and making a list of whom he'd need to contact. Perhaps if he stayed at the office he could take some of the meetings himself. Surely Robert didn't need to sit in on all of the conference calls personally. Perhaps he could arrange for Robert to dial in from the car on the way to and from Somerset House, as there was sure to be excessive traffic.

"Sir, if I stay at the office, I can jump onto a few of these calls for you, that way they won't need to be rescheduled…"

Robert interrupted John before he could finish conveying his plan, "I'm afraid not. I'll need you to come with me. Plus, as a friend of the family, Cora arranged for a seat for you, too. Now, rearrange what you can and email me a revised agenda. We'll need to leave in an hour. Have the car waiting for us out front."

Robert went to his office with a slam of the door, leaving John to figure out how to clear several hours from an already busy day.

* * *

The hustle and bustle consuming the area around Somerset House threatened to bring Anna to her knees. She could feel her entire body quaking with nerves as she took in the palatial building in front of her, the courtyard filled with giant, white tents. All around her crews were finishing up the final touches, setting up chairs and testing the light and sound equipment. She likened it to the calm before the storm. All of the sudden, the nerves that were bubbling below the surface that morning began to spread throughout her body. Just standing in the same area as so many of her idols caused adrenaline to course through her veins. This was it. She had finally made it. Even if she never presented at another show after this, she could at least say she presented at London Fashion Week.

She made her way to check in and pick up her credentials, and then was led to her staging area. The workers who had helped her at her house earlier were unloading and hanging her dresses on the racks, ready for their final preparations. She checked each one over, making sure nothing had been damaged during transport and running her portable steamer over each to eliminate any creases.

Satisfied that everything was as it should be, Anna went about getting herself ready. She needed to be dressed and have her hair and makeup done by the time her models arrived to ensure everyone looked just so before they stepped foot on the runway.

"Anna, darling!"

Anna turned as she heard the familiar voice of Mary Crawley calling to her from across the staging area. As much of a pain as Mary could be on occasion, it was comforting to see a friendly face.

"Mary!" Anna ran toward her, as quickly as her towering high-heels would allow, and embraced her friend in an enormous hug. "Thank goodness you're here! I'm about to fall over with nerves!"

"You'll do splendidly," Mary reassured her while returning her hug. "Everything looks wonderful and the girls will do perfectly, you'll see. And if you get nervous, look for my family. They'll be sitting front row cheering us all on. Mama even said she'd treat us to a wonderfully boozy meal afterwards, if you aren't too much in demand."  
Anna couldn't help but feel a sense of calm washing over her. It was comforting to know she'd have a few friendly faces out in the crowd. "That all sounds wonderful. Hopefully I can slip away once this is over. I don't think I've eaten a thing all week! Now come along," Anna nudged Mary toward the hair, makeup, and wardrobe area, "Let's get you ready for the runway. I'm going to need your help with the other girls since you're up last."

* * *

John had never felt so out of place in his life sitting no more than a foot away from the long runway. The pulsing lights paired with the loud, thumping music was already giving him a headache. He began skimming through the program. He didn't even know which designer they were watching, only that Mary was participating.

He looked up just as the designer's name was projected on the screen at the top of the runway. Anna Smith. _Of course_. She had mentioned she was a designer, but he never put the pieces together that she would be presenting a show at Fashion Week.

John turned to his friend and employer sat next to him. "So, have you heard of this designer before?"

"Who, Anna," Robert questioned, "Of course. She and Mary go way back. They've been friends since University. Anna specifically asked Mary to make her debut at her show with the hope they'd each get their big breaks together."

"Interesting," John muttered to himself. Suddenly he felt his own nerves kicking in. He supposed they stemmed from wanting Anna to do well. Yet he also felt ashamed. He really should have called her, regardless of his own self-doubt. Perhaps this was fate's way of intervening to correct his mistake. He couldn't even imagine what Anna must be thinking of him. Hopefully she'd been too busy recently to notice he was acting like every other asshole guy she'd ever dated. He needed to make sure he spoke to her. And soon.

* * *

The backstage turned into a flurry of activity as the runway show kicked into gear. Anna could feel her heart beating in time with the pulsating music inside the tent. She watched from backstage as her models walked out, working the runway one after the other. So far everything was going wonderfully. Her dresses, combined with the models' hair and makeup looked stunning, and it seemed the crowd was responding favorably.

Just as Mary was ready to walk out with the final dress of the show, Anna gave her an encouraging smile, which she returned, as they each knew what a momentous occasion this was, the pinnacle of Anna's tireless preparation.

Anna watched with pride as Mary confidently strutted down the runway as if she'd done it a thousand times before. Mary made it to the end, turning and walking back. She took a deep breath and waited for all of the models to walk back down the runway, where she would follow to receive accolades from those gathered.

As she stepped out onto the runway, she was met immediately with the popping of flash bulbs and a sea of camera phones. Her eyes darted back and forth as she looked for Mary's family, desperate to see familiar faces that weren't icons in the fashion world. What she didn't expect to see was John Bates sitting directly in front of her current line of sight, sat next to none other than Mary's father. She was stunned, and by the look of it, so was he.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry there's no Anna/John interaction, but it's coming next chapter. I promise.**


	9. Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

**I apologize for the extensive hiatus. I never intended to go so long between updates, but life became a wee bit busy. I hope to get another chapter or two written over my holiday break. Fear not, this story has not been abandoned! Enjoy!**

**Previously on Love Comes Quickly: Anna has her fashion show where John is a surprise guest.**

* * *

By the time Anna made her way backstage, the journey slowed by well-wishers congratulating her on a job well done numerous times along the way, the shock of seeing John sitting in the audience front and center had worn off only slightly. When she eventually made it back to the changing area, she was met with Mary, who was calmly removing her runway makeup and Anna's shock at seeing John quickly turned to suspicion. She considered Mary one of her best friends, having known her since their university days, and felt there was little they couldn't talk freely about or share with each other.

"So," Anna asked as she approached Mary, who was sitting at one of the hair and make-up tables, "who was that man sitting next to your father?"

Anna knew exactly who he was. Even though she'd only seen the man in person one time, she'd seen him in his profile pictures, her dreams, and practically every time she closed her eyes since she first came across his profile. She was that enamored with him. Still, she wanted to know how, and how much, Mary knew of him. Chances were if he was a good enough friend with her father to attend a fashion show, then they were probably very close. And Mary would definitely have some explaining to do.

Mary stopped what she was doing instantly at the sound of Anna's inquiry. "What do you mean," Mary replied nonchalantly. "How do I know which man?"

"You know exactly which man I'm speaking about, Mary. John, the man who was sitting next to your father in the front row!"

Mary stared blankly back at her, guilt clearly written upon her face. Resignedly, Mary answered, "John's an old family friend. He's been friends with my father for years and is practically a brother to him. John works for him, too as his personal assistant. But, I suppose you already knew that part," Mary trailed off

Anna crossed her arms and stared at Mary, her gaze hardening and her blue eyes piercing into Mary's brown ones. "Ok, but why did you warn me off of him when we came across his profile that night. If he's been friends with your family for so long, then why were you so hesitant for us to even communicate, let alone possibly date?"

Mary hesitated for a moment before responding, "That's not my story to tell." Mary paused as she contemplated how much more about John to divulge to Anna. "Just, there are things you don't know about him, things in his past. He's a good guy and I knew you'd fall for him once you started chatting. I just don't want you to get hurt."

Just then, an assistant with a headset approached the pair. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Miss Smith, but there are some media waiting to speak with you."

Anna closed her eyes and exhaled a quick breath, replying to the assistant, "I'll be right there."

Anna turned her attention back to Mary, "I don't know what to say to that right now. Only that I know my own heart, and I know my own mind. I can make my own decisions."

Shame flickered across Mary's face, knowing once again she'd underestimated the tenacity and independence of her friend, "I'm sorry, Anna. I know you can. Will you be joining us tonight?"

Anna shook her head, "I don't think that's a good idea right now. I need some time to process all this."

"I understand. Go do your media thing, and I'll talk to you later."

Anna walked briskly away to face the gathered media, though it was the absolute last thing she wanted to do at the moment. If she were honest, she wanted to go back to the audience area to see if John was still there, but at the same time, she had no idea what to say to him. She really would need some time alone with her thoughts. There was obviously something about his past that Mary thought would put Anna off, yet she had no idea what. If only that blasted assistant hadn't interrupted their conversation! But, as much as she wanted Mary to tell her the entire story about John and his past, she would much rather find out directly from him.

Quickly finishing with the media after providing short and sweet answers to their questions, Anna walked briskly back toward the stage area and peaked through the curtain separating the backstage from the audience, hoping against her better instincts that she'd find John sitting in his front row seat waiting for her. She tried not to be disappointed in the drop of her stomach when she realized that he had already left. Just as she had expected, yet hoped against. Releasing a heavy sigh, Anna gathered her emotions and retreated backstage to pack up her things and head home.

* * *

John sat staring at the stage as the venue cleared out around him. The show had ended fifteen minutes ago and he still could not believe _Anna_ was the designer of the show he had been lucky enough to see. And she seemed just as surprised to see him, when they locked eyes for a brief, yet wonderful moment as she walked down the runway with her models at the end of her show. Coincidentally, arm in arm with Robert's daughter, Mary. He wondered how he hadn't put the pieces together sooner. He knew Mary was a model and he knew from talking to Anna that she was in fashion, but never once considered the two might know each other. But Rob had to have known. Suddenly, John felt a dueling sense of anger and betrayal wash over him. He'd talked to Rob about Anna before. And told him about her career. He had to have known this was the same Anna. Why would Robert make him come here without some kind of warning? John paused. This was Robert he was talking about. He loved the guy, but he sure could be clueless about such things. But, he had to know for certain.

"John. _John!_"

John shook his head in an attempt to release himself from his train of thought, and realized Robert trying to get his attention.

"John, we need to head back to the office. Let's go."  
"Wait, aren't you going to go congratulate Mary," John asked as he gestured to the stage next to them.

"No time for that, I've got a full afternoon of meetings ahead. Besides, we're having a little celebration for Mary at the house later. You will be joining us, right?"

John sensed this was his opportunity to question Robert about Anna. "I'm not sure. Will Anna be there?"

"Anna? I assume so. She is a large part of Mary's success after all."

"Oh, I think I'll sit this one out."

"Why?

John floundered for a suitable answer. Even though the party was taking place after work hours, Robert always expected him to show up at his social functions, as both his assistant, and more importantly his friend.

"Wait a minute!" Robert gasped, "Anna is the same Anna you went on a date with!"

At John's subtle nod in confirmation Robert continued on, "I don't know why it took me so long to put two and two together. Actually, come to think of it, Mary mentioned something about this to me a few weeks ago. Did the date not go well? Is that why you don't want to see her at the party? "

"No, the date went well. We have a lot in common and I'd like to see more of her."

Robert started at John, a look of utter confusion on his face as if John had sprouted an extra pair of ears right in front of him. "I'm not following. If everything went so well and you want to see her again, why are you avoiding going somewhere where you'd actually see her again?"

"You saw her fashion show and how talented and self-confident she was up there. Why would she want to be with a guy like me? No offense, Mr. Crawley…"  
"Stop right there," Robert held his hand up in front of John to stop him from continuing, "pretend we're off the clock and call me Robert. We've always been friends first, after all."

"Fine," sighed John, "_Robert_, no offense, but she's an up-and-coming fashion designer and I'm a personal assistant. I've had my share of personal troubles she knows nothing about, not to mention a shrew of a wife hanging onto me like a leech sucking the very life out of me with each moment she remains in my life. Anna's too good for someone like me. She may not think so now, but she will. Eventually. And I can't bear to think of that happening."

"Oh my dear fellow, you're so much more than all of that and if you just talk to Anna and tell her your fears, I'm certain she'll understand. I've known Anna for a few years now and that girl is wise beyond her years. If there's anyone on this earth who will understand you, it's Anna. Just…be honest with her."

"So you're saying I should go to the party then?"

"Yes, now this has been far too much talk about feelings for this Englishman. And we do need to be going. Unless you fancy rescheduling all of those meetings for a second time."

John quickly turned on his heel and ushered Robert out of the venue. After all the trouble he put himself through rearranging Robert's meetings in order to come here, there was no way he was going to go through the hassle again. At least not if he could help it.

* * *

With the marathon afternoon of meetings finally completed, Robert and John headed for the Crawley residence for Mary's celebratory party. John casually glanced through the crowd of family and close friends gathered for the occasion hoping to spot the flowing blonde locks he'd become enamored with in such a short amount of time. But it appeared she was nowhere to be found.

Mary happened to notice John not so subtly looking around, obviously looking for someone. She had an idea he was searching for the presence of one blonde haired, blue-eyed fashion designer and could see his countenance becoming more and more disheartened with each unsuccessful visual pass around the room. Finally she decided she needed to put him out of his misery.

"Are you looking for someone?" Mary asked as she approached the man she considered an uncle, a glass of wine in her hand.

"No," John answered none too convincingly.

"Anna couldn't make it if that's who you were looking for."

"I wasn't."

"You could've fooled me."

'Fine, yes I was hoping to see Anna. Your father told me she'd likely be here and I wanted to talk to her about some things."

"Well, I'm afraid it's my fault she's not here." Mary fiddled with the stem of her wine glass, unsure of what to reveal to John. If there was one thing Mary Crawley hated it was being made to look like a fool. Disclosing to John why Anna was upset with her would surely accomplish that.

"What? Why?" John was obviously confused as to why Mary would not want Anna to come to an event celebrating the successes of both women.

"She's a bit upset with me about something I said during one of our girly nights, that she just happened to find out about today. Don't worry, she's avoiding me more than she's avoiding you."

"So, she's avoiding me? Well, I can't say I blame her. She's probably realized she can do much better than me. She's probably better off not being here."

"She's _not_ avoiding _you_ John, she's avoiding me," Mary replied with an exasperated sigh. "I forgot one very important trait about Anna. She doesn't like her opinions influenced by others. She likes you, John. And I was stupid to try to warn her off you, especially seeing how happy you make her. Though, full-disclosure, I did insinuate that there were things about you she needed to know before she gets in too deep."

John stood in stunned silence. On one hand, the fact that Anna had admitted, or at least shown to her closest friend that he made her happy after knowing each other for a short time brought him so much joy. Yet on the other hand, John knew that he would likely only bring her pain. Was breaking Anna's heart down the road worth the risk? Or would John make the same mistake as Mary and feel the wrath of Anna for not giving her the opportunity to make her own decisions on the matter. John did know one thing; he no longer had any reason to be at this party. Especially as he was only there with the hope of seeing Anna.

"If you don't mind, Mary, I'm going to be heading home. It's been a long day and I have a lot to think about. Let your father know I've left."

"I understand and I will. Good luck, John."

John set his half-empty pint glass of coke on the mantle nearest him and snuck out of the grandiose Crawley home. He had a lot of thinking to do. He needed to do what was right. If only he knew what that was.

* * *

It was the evening after her fashion show, and Anna could not get her fight with Mary out of her mind. She'd wanted to speak with him immediately after Mary came clean about John's relationship with the Crawley family, but by the time she had made it back to the audience area after fulfilling her media obligations, John and Robert had already left, presumably to return to work. The Crawleys threw a celebration for Mary's accomplishments at their house later that evening, and while Anna knew she was welcome, and almost expected to attend, she had a feeling John would be there, too as he was apparently a close friend of the Crawley family. As much as she wanted to confront him about his past and why he had not contacted her since their date, she knew the Crawley house was not the appropriate place. And besides, she was meant to leave to Yorkshire the next morning in order to make it in time for her mother's garden party the following evening. She preferred to speak with him away from prying eyes and ears, anyway. Though, when she'd have that opportunity again she'd never know.

As Anna loafed around her flat unwinding from her recently hectic life, she considered texting him as she did have his phone number. But she reconsidered, as she did not want to bother him if he was busy. And she'd consumed half a bottle of wine and very little food, which would surely be a recipe for disaster. But then again, wine was how she found herself in this situation anyway. Plus, what was she going to say to him? _Oh, you know the Crawleys too? Ever been to Downton Abbey? So what's your big secret? Let me guess, you are a serial killer and I'm your next victim. _And surely, he wouldn't want to speak with her now. If he had any desire to see her again he would have contacted her already. With a heavy sigh and a glance at the clock on her cable box, Anna deemed it time to get a start on packing for the weekend. The last thing she wanted was to spend her precious free time flitting about Yorkshire's elite, but she did promise her mother she'd be there and Anna wasn't one to go back on a promise.

The next morning found Anna up with the birds, an odd occurrence all together as usually it would take near on five alarms to lure her from slumber. She knew she couldn't chalk it up to anticipation for the weekend as she was dreading her plans enough already. Something lured her from sleep, almost a sense that something was waiting for her. She rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes and padded her way toward the kitchen. She might as well luxuriate over a steaming cup of coffee before getting a real start on her day. After starting the pot, Anna made her way over to the table where her laptop sat. She switched it on, more out of habit than any desire to do work. Clicking over to her email she saw a notification from Soulmates. And more importantly, a message from John. With a heady mix of excitement and trepidation Anna clicked on the link and began to read.

_Dear Anna,_

_First, I want to apologize for not calling you like I said I would. It was very foolish of me, but I have my reasons. After our wonderful date together, and seeing and speaking to you in person, I've realized that you are far too good for the likes of me._

_After seeing you at your fashion show yesterday, it was made even more obvious. You have a bright future ahead of you, and I'd hate to hold you back with my troubles. I'm sure you have an exciting and busy life, and I'm well, me. Not exciting, and really quite boring. So, this I ask of you, please go to sleep and dream of a better man. I'm certain he's not me. I'm sorry._

_Be well,_

_John_

_No._ Anna thought to herself. _No, no, no._ Without further thought Anna quickly began to form a reply. She wasn't going to let him go that easily.


	10. A Garden Party

**A/N**: Apologies for another long delay between updates. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it!

**Disclaimer**: Same as the previous chapters.

* * *

In the end, Anna wound up not replying to John's email dismissing her place in his life. She drafted a response, but deleted before she could click on the 'send' button. Obviously they were not meant to be, and one date hardly allowed her to lay claim to him in any way. She wanted to be with him, but he did not want, or was not ready to be with her, and she would just need to accept that fact. And from the wording of John's email, there was a hint that he had some issues he needed to work out before he could give himself to any woman, let alone Anna. She did feel guilty in her anger over the whole situation. She couldn't understand why a man like John would make himself available on a dating website if he was not open and available to the idea of dating and possibly a relationship. She was able to temper her disappointment somewhat by realizing she knew nothing of his circumstances and had no right to judge him for his decisions. So instead, Anna packed her bags and mentally steeled herself for a weekend at her mother's house and the garden party that would follow.

The frosty relationship between mother and daughter was finally thawing after years of tension as a result of her mother's marriage to Anna's stepfather. Thankfully the marriage ended in divorce just after Anna moved away to London, but not before the damage was already done. Anna didn't want to reveal her suspicions to her mother that her stepfather only stuck around to be near Anna. Her mother was observant enough to sense Anna did not care for her stepfather, but never knew the reasons why, and didn't particularly care to do anything about it. Even though he was no longer in the picture, Anna's enthusiasm for visiting her childhood home never recovered after he left. The safe home she knew before her mother's remarriage after her father passed away was now uncomfortable. Now, she only tended to return for holidays, and of course her mother's annual garden party that brought out only the finest of Downton's residents.

* * *

Anna arrived in Downton early in the evening after putting off her departure from London as long as she could. She dropped her bag in the guest bedroom and returned to the sitting room to spend the requisite amount of time catching up on the latest village gossip with her mother. Anna desperately needed out of the house for some normal conversation that didn't revolve around Marjorie at the bakery taking up with the local postmaster, and was thankful she had her plans for a drink and a catch-up with her best friend, Gwen as an excuse to leave. If there was one thing Anna didn't miss about being at Downton, it was the constant busybody tendencies of everyone in the village. She had certainly adapted to the relative anonymity she had found in London. Well, at least until the day came when her career would finally take off. She did, however, miss spending time with her best friend, Gwen. The two had been joined at the hip since their early school days, and Anna often sought refuge from her stepfather in the relatively normal household of the Dawson's. Once Anna came of age and started thinking of where to go for University, she knew she needed to venture further away. Unfortunately, that meant leaving Gwen behind as Gwen enjoyed the village life and could never imagine herself moving further away than York. Yet every time Anna was able to make a visit to Downton, meeting up with Gwen was one of the first things she managed to do.

"Mum, I'm heading out to meet Gwen at the pub. Don't wait up!" Anna shouted up the stairs as she made her way out the front door of her mother's moderately sized cottage.

"Make sure you bring a coat, dear. It's been very cold lately after dark."

With a subtle roll of her eyes, Anna grabbed her coat and gave her mother a dismissive wave before leaving through the front door. She knew her mother meant well, but sometimes her attempts to mother her after so many years of ignoring Anna's own concerns about her mother's second husband were too little too late. She couldn't wait to catch up with her best friend that was for sure.

Anna stepped into the warmth of the pub, darting her eyes around the tables looking for the unmistakable red hair of Gwen. After a few moments, she spotted her friend in the small lounge area by the hearth of the fireplace. Anna couldn't help but feel relieved that not only did Gwen manage to stake out a spot away from the local drunkards, but also a spot where she could thaw her bones from the bitter cold. Her mother had not been over exaggerating when she said it would be cold.

Around the same time Anna spotted her friend, Gwen looked up and saw Anna approaching. She leapt out of the plush armchair and jumped up and down flailing her arms while letting out a screech entirely too loud for their current environment. Gwen's enthusiasm was infectious, and try as she might, Anna could not contain her own excitement about seeing her best friend again and let out an equally loud scream as she ran to greet Gwen, her arms wide open.

"Oh my god, Anna! It's been way too long! Sit down and tell me everything right this instant," Gwen shrieked as she wrapped Anna in a bone-crushing hug.

"It's nice to see you, too Gwen. But really, my life isn't all that exciting. I want to hear all about this new man you're seeing. Don't think I've forgotten that text message you sent me after your first night together."

Gwen's cheeks turned almost the color of her hair, "We can talk about that later. I want to hear about your fashion show. When will I find the latest Anna Smith designs at Harrod's?"

Anna had to scoff at Gwen's question. "I'm not nearly to that level, and probably never will be. But the show was successful. There were no mishaps and the crowd seemed pleased. I should know more within the next few days. I'm hoping for at least a few offers. I'd be happy with anywhere that isn't my sitting room at this point. But enough about me, tell me about your John."

"I think he might be the one, Anna."

"Oh Gwen, I'm so happy for you!" Anna gushed over her friend's newfound love, and couldn't help but think about a certain other John.

"What about your love life? Whatever happened with that online dating you got suckered into by Lady Mary?" It was if Gwen could read her mind sometimes.

"Hush you," Anna gently admonished her friend with a gentle tap on her forearm, "She's not that regal. There's no need for you to be jealous; you'll always be my bestie."

"Don't change the subject! Did you at least get some hot dates out of it?"

"Well, not really. Most of them were a bit on the creepy side. But, I did go out on one date with a very nice man. But I don't think anything will come from it."

"Well, either way, I want to hear all about it."

Anna then filled Gwen in on her date with her own John, explaining that it went well, and how she thought she'd see him again and about their encounter at the fashion show, and finally the email she received from him effectively ending any hope of a further relationship. Gwen listened intently, nodding in the right places, and gasping indignantly when needed before finally coming to her own conclusion about John.

"It just sounds like he's insecure and scared. I think he cares about you but is more worried about letting you down or hurting himself. He thinks he's being gallant by pushing you away. Did you write back to him?"

"No, I figured it wouldn't do to try to change his mind when we'd only been on one date. And besides, I didn't want to write something out of anger or hurt that I wouldn't be able to take back. Clear heads prevailing and all…"

"Well, I think you should write to him when you get back to London on Monday. It's been too long since you last showed any enthusiasm for a man after Ryan. I've never known you not to put yourself out there, even at the risk of your heart. The Anna Smith I know doesn't give up."

Anna sighed, "We'll see. I'll see how I feel at the end of the weekend. Anyway, it's getting late. I need to get back to my mum's. I know she's going to be putting me to work bright and early."

"Oh, fine then," Gwen sighed reluctantly, "I suppose I'll see you tomorrow, then. Will Lady Mary and the rest of the royal family be in attendance?"

"You know, I didn't even think to ask. I'm sure if Mary were coming she would have mentioned something to me at the fashion show. So I'll assume not. They've not been very active up here since Violet passed away. We're lucky we're still able to use the estate grounds for parties now that the Abbey is under the control of the trust."

"Well, either way, I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know if you need any help. Or need a buffer between you and your mum."

The two women exited the pub, and with hugs goodbye, they parted until the next morning.

* * *

The day of the garden party dawned sunny and relatively warm for the time of year. Anna rose far earlier than she would have liked in order to help her mother with the preparations and still find time to make herself look as glamorous as the occasion allowed. She spent the morning decorating the marquees and the tables housed beneath them, her eye for fabrics and textures seemingly helping her with the process. By the time mid-morning rolled around, the sprawling garden of the Abbey looked a picture. Fitting for the Queen herself.

Back at the cottage, Anna stood in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches on her hair and makeup. She had decided on a sleeveless dress in neutral colors with her hair in soft waves. Not too glamorous, but enough to look the part of an up and coming fashion designer. She knew most of the party's attendees would be the crème de la crème of Yorkshire and unlikely to provide any influence toward her career, but one never knew. And the chance of encountering any eligible men at the party to impress was slim to none. With a final glance in the mirror, Anna was ready to go.

The party was in full swing by mid-afternoon, the who's who of Yorkshire society having a grand time milling amongst themselves. As for Anna, she felt moderately out of place as she stood on the periphery of the festivities with a glass of white wine, observing and waiting and wondering when Gwen would show up, hoping it would be soon.

As she gazed around the grand lawn, she spotted a familiar figure on the outskirts, watching her. Although she'd only seen the man a few times, she instantly recognized his stance. But what could he possibly be doing here? Anna decided at that moment that she needed to find out, so she began to make her way toward him.

"I didn't realize garden parties were a spectator sport."

John turned to her, startled for being caught out. "Well, what can I say, the scenery is breathtaking," John replied flirtatiously once he recovered himself. He couldn't help but smirk at Anna, any resolve he had of distancing himself from her melting away with each moment she was in his presence. He was quickly beginning to realize how foolish his original plan of ceasing all contact with her actually was.

"I should be rather upset with you, you know. With you dismissing me so completely without giving me a chance to persuade you otherwise. And in an email no less!"

John ducked his head sheepishly, focusing his attention on the ice that was slowly melting in the glass of water he held in his hand.

"I know you're tying to do something gallant by letting me go before things can even begin, but from what I've seen, you're a good man, John. Much better than you give yourself credit for. And I wish you'd just come out with whatever is holding you back."

John glanced up at Anna, his hazel eyes barely peeking out from behind the unruly lock of hair that had come loose. "Is there somewhere we could go to talk? There are things you should know about me before we go any further. Things that could very well change your opinion of me, and I don't think the lawn of Downton Abbey in the middle of a garden party is the right place for that."

Anna paused to consider his request for just a moment before an idea came to her.

"I know just the place. And John…nothing could ever change my opinion of you. Whatever you tell me, you'll still be the same John I've found myself fancying."

"Well, we'll see. Lead the way, Miss Smith."

Anna and John were able to sneak out of the garden party unnoticed, making their way stealthily to the courtyard by the old servants' entrance to the Abbey, John faithfully following Anna as she led the way. It was clear that she'd spent almost as much time at the grand estate as he had over the years with how quickly and confidently she'd decided on their destination. He had to agree that the courtyard was the best location for their conversation as it was far enough away from the festivities, but not too far that their time away would be suspicious. They would still remain within earshot of the party, yet would remain out of sight. The pair found a stack of wine crates in the corner of the yard and took a seat, near what would have been the gateway to the hustle and bustle of the servants' hall from back when Downton was a grand estate filled with servants. Now it was a destination for tourists and fancy events.

"Now," Anna began, "would you care to tell me why you're hell bent on pushing me away?"

John chuckled, caught somewhat off guard with Anna's direct approach. "Well, you're not one to beat around the bush, are you?"

"You learn quickly, Mr. Bates. Now, out with it."

"Anna, there are things you don't know about me. I'm not the man you think I am," John began hesitantly, almost giving her the opportunity to back away from her inquisition.

"I know that you are a good man. And there are things you don't know about me, so your argument there appears invalid. "

"No, Anna, I've done bad things. I'm not a good man."

"I refuse to believe that. I've told you already, nothing you say will change my opinion of you. I just want honesty. And I've known Robert Crawley for as long as I've known Mary, and I know he wouldn't spend time with, as you put it, a 'bad man'."

John picked his head up quickly at that remark. "How do you know I'm friends with Robert Crawley?"

"I saw you sitting and talking to each other in the front row at my show. And Mary confirmed it backstage afterwards. The two of you were far too chummy to have just met."

"True, we have known each other for a very long time."

"But, we're getting off track. We're supposed to be talking about why you so strangely think I'll be put off you."

John heaved out a tremendous sigh. There was no use avoiding the conversation as Anna was proving a formidable opponent. "The truth is," John began, "I've not always been Robert's personal assistant. He was kind enough to offer me the position when I fell on hard times and was unable to find suitable work elsewhere. You see, I used to be a teacher at a rather high profile academy until a series of poor decisions led to one horrible mistake that ruined my career. I was in a toxic relationship at the time and would often succumb to the drink when the two of us were together. It would start out with too many pints at the local pub, and as time wore on, the pints were replaced with whisky. One night while I was out with my companion, we each had far too much to drink than was wise and we made the mistake of getting behind the wheel of a car to drive home. She took the wheel against my better judgment. Neither of us was fit to drive, but she was even less so. I was too pissed to put up much of a fight, even though I should have known better. We were passing through the school grounds when a group of students started crossing the street. I saw them in just enough time and tried to get her to swerve out of the way. We didn't hit them, but instead hit a tree. The force of the impact meant I smashed my knee pretty good, but otherwise wasn't too seriously injured. By the time the police had shown up, my companion had fled the scene. I managed to pull myself from the wreckage, and because I was the only one at the scene, it was assumed I was the driver. I could have tried to put up a fight, but it wasn't likely they'd have believed me, and it was obvious I was too inhibited by alcohol for anyone to believe my story. I was booked for drink driving and spent some time in prison, and then spent an additional year and a half afterward on probation. And because the incident happened on the campus where I taught, I also lost my job and any further prospects of employment elsewhere."

Anna sat quietly, processing all that John said before commenting. She could tell by the way he was looking at her, or not looking at her for that matter, that he was anxious to see how she'd respond. He seemed ashamed and terrified simultaneously.

Finally, Anna spoke. "I don't see how all of this would turn me off you. Yes, you exercised poor judgment and fell into some bad habits, but that doesn't make you a terrible person. The law punished you, but the way I see it, you're still punishing yourself. And needlessly so."

"But Anna, I have a criminal record now. You're trying to make a success of yourself. Can't you see I'd just hold you back and drag you down?"

"You served your time. You seem to have learned your lesson. Answer me this, John. After your accident, did you give up the drink?"

John nodded vehemently. "I did. I haven't had a drop of alcohol in years. And I've distanced myself from the woman who drove me into those horrible habits."  
"Well then, I see no issues that would keep me from pursuing a relationship with you. It's up to you. What do you want?"

Lord, how could he answer that? John knew he wanted Anna. He couldn't deny the chemistry they had together, and he'd be a fool to turn down his chance of having her as his own. But then again, he _was_ a fool. He was a fool to ever take up with Vera, a fool for not freeing himself of her completely, and a fool for trying to push Anna away. But could he be with Anna completely with Vera still lingering in his past? John looked up toward Anna and saw her almost imploring him, her blue eyes boring into his as she bit her bottom lip. There was no way he could continue to push her away, no matter what other demons lingered in his past.

"I want you. More than anything, I want you," John responded with all the sincerity he could muster, hoping to convince Anna that although he'd originally pushed her away, he was now wholly committed to her. The issue of Vera's lingering presence in his life would need to be dealt with at a later date. No sense in unloading all of his baggage onto the petite shoulders of Anna Smith in one night.

Before he knew it, Anna had thrown herself into his arms causing his breath to expel from his chest with a gentle 'oof'.

"Now, will you quit being a silly beggar and kiss me already?" The impish look on her face was one he could not resist, and one he could see himself unable to resist for however long they remained together.

"My pleasure." John leaned in to kiss Anna, but just as their lips were about to meet, the banging of the door behind them caused them to break apart.

"Daisy, you clodhopper, get these canapés out to the party! I could have walked to London and back in the time it has taken you." The harried employee in question bustled past them, the tray of canapés held precariously in her hands.

John let out a sigh at the interruption of their intimate moment, both parts annoyed and somewhat relieved that they were interrupted. As much as he wanted to kiss Anna, he also wanted their first kiss to occur somewhere more romantic than the courtyard of a manor house where anyone could find them.

"You know, as much as I would love to kiss you, I'd rather take you out on a proper date first. I'm old-fashioned like that."

"Ah, but Mr. Bates, haven't we already been on a date?"

"I'd consider that more of a pre-date if you will. I want to plan something special…pick you up, bring you flowers, the whole nine yards. Would you allow me to do that? Will you go on a real date with me, Anna Smith?"

Anna couldn't help but smile at the thoughtfulness of this man, and could in no way refuse his most gentlemanly offer. "I'd love to go on a date with you, Mr. Bates."

"Grand, just grand! Should we head back to the party now? I'm sure one of us has to be missed by now."

"I suppose," Anna sighed, not really wanting to leave John's presence, yet knowing her mother would be looking for her soon enough.

The pair walked back to the great lawn of the Abbey and back toward the marquees closely enough that their hands would occasionally brush against the other's, but not close enough that they would arouse any questions as to their status.

"I'll leave you now, but I promise to call you as soon as I'm back in London to set up that date I promised.  
"I shall look forward to hearing from you. Until then, Mr. Bates."

"Until then, Miss Smith."

And there they parted, each heading back to their respective groups, safe in the knowledge that they were now traveling on a path towards something special, together.


	11. An Unconventional Date

**AN: I have a paper due Sunday, so naturally I figured now would be the best time to edit and post this chapter. Because procrastination. This probably won't be updated again for a little bit while I finish school and start work on another story. I think I left it in a good place, but it's definitely not finished! Just on a mini hiatus. Enjoy!**

* * *

It had been a week since their encounter at the garden party and as John sat at his desk waiting for Robert to finish meeting with Mr. Carson regarding the current status of _Darlings,_ he couldn't keep his thoughts from drifting to Anna. He couldn't help but continue to wonder if he was doing the right thing by pursuing a relationship with her. His heart seemed to think it was a fantastic idea, but his brain…oh, his brain wasn't completely on board. He knew if things progressed in a way they both desired, Vera would become someone he'd have to deal with eventually. As unpleasant an idea as that was. For now, he'd listen to his heart. He deserved a bit of happiness, as those closest to him frequently reminded him. He opened up his messenger app on his laptop, which conveniently synced to his phone, and typed in Anna's name and thought about his message. He wanted to ask her on a date, but needed something to break the ice first.

_Good afternoon, Anna. How are you?_ He typed. Basic, but should serve its intended purpose as an icebreaker. Now, to wait for a response.

While John waited, he opened the reports from the _Darlings_ focus group they had put together. The responses were favorable with all demographics surveyed rating the characters, actors, and storylines positively and as something they would watch. Many had even commented that they were not aware of the show even airing previously, the marketing having been so lackluster up until now. John was sure _Darlings_ would be a hit and looked forward to sharing this information with Mr. Crawley. He also made sure to password protect the spreadsheet containing that data. John wouldn't put it past that slime ball of an intern, Thomas to sabotage the reporting.

Just as John finished doing so, he heard the chime indicating a new message coming from his computer. He quickly clicked over to his messenger app, hoping it was a response from Anna. Sure enough, it was.

_Hi John. I'm well. I've been trying to recover from the past months. How are you?_

John responded almost immediately; he was never one to delay responses as to not seem too interested.

_I'm well, too. Work has been busy, but I was wondering if I could take you out for that date soon?_

_I'd like that. I'd thought you'd never ask _

_I'm sorry to have kept you in suspense __ How about Friday night? Are you free?_

_Not anymore. I appear to be going on a date with a John Bates. Do you know of him?_

_I've heard of him. Strange bloke, him. Keeps himself to himself. I hate to disappoint you, but I've heard he's keen on this Anna Smith. Very keen, indeed._

_I'm glad to hear that because the feeling is mutual, Mr. Bates._

_:) So, Friday night. I'll pick you up at your flat, say around 7 and we'll have a lovely first official date. How does that sound?_

_That sounds wonderful. I'm very much looking forward to it._

_Me too, Anna. Now, I must get back to work. Until Friday…x_

_Until Friday. X_

* * *

It was finally Friday and Anna couldn't help but be excited for her date with John that night. But sitting at home watching the clock slowly tick forward toward seven o'clock was driving her mad. Time was moving too slowly for her liking. She had to admit that she was pleasantly surprised to hear from him, not wanting to hold out hope that their conversation at the garden party would actually lead to another date, as much as her heart wanted to believe. But now it seemed as if all her worries were for naught. She was finally going on a real date with John Bates! Anna glanced at the clock again and noticed that only two minutes had passed. She needed to get out of the house as sitting home doing nothing was driving her mad. She didn't even have work to distract her, as she'd heard nothing regarding her designs from her fashion show. This was disconcerting enough without adding fretting over a date to her list of concerns.

Retrieving her mobile from the table next to her, Anna quickly rang Mary. Perhaps they could meet up for a bite to eat to pass the time. It'd been a while since they'd had a proper catch up anyway. And she felt badly about how they'd left things after their row at the fashion show.

"Anna!" Mary answered cheerfully through the phone once the call connected.

"Hi, Mary."

"I wasn't expecting to hear from you after what happened at the fashion show."

Anna sighed, "Well, I've had a bit of time to think since then, and I shouldn't have lashed out at you like I did."

"Yes, well, I hope you know I was only trying to protect you."

"And I appreciate that, but you know how stubborn I am about these sorts of things. You're the same way."

"True. So how was the big garden party? Papa didn't say much about it. Pity I couldn't have been there for moral support."

"I'm glad it's over with to be honest. I can tell you all about it over a bite to eat if you're free? I need to get out of the flat before I drive myself mad!"

"I can get away for a bit. How does sushi sound? We can go to that new place by you. Say half past?"

"Sounds good. That should give me plenty of time to get ready for my date with John."

"Oh," Mary said with a tone of surprise, "So you're going out with John? I had no idea you'd talked."

"Yes, we had a nice chat at the garden party and we've decided to see each other again." Anna couldn't hide the tone of superiority from her voice. Sometimes proving Mary wrong satisfied her more than anything.

"So, he's told you everything then?"

"I'm not sure about everything, but he told me enough."

"I hope so…" Mary trailed off. She knew many of John's secrets and doubted he'd told Anna everything she needed to know.

"Trust me," Anna implored, "I'll tell you the rest over sushi. I'll see you in a bit."

"Sounds great. Bye, darling."

* * *

That Friday night, John managed to leave work a little early in order to prepare for his first _real_ date with Anna. He was going to pick her up from her flat and then take her out for a meal and then see where the night took them. Not that he was intending, or even hoping to sleep with her that night. More like they would decide whether to take a romantic stroll or perhaps find somewhere cozy for a nightcap. As John was changing his clothes and tidying his hair, he realized he'd not heard from Anna all day. The last he heard from her was the night previously when they'd texted for a bit before Anna messaged him her address with her flat number. Sure, he'd walked her home after their first meeting, however she wasn't certain he remembered precisely where she lived. Regardless, John couldn't help but think maybe she changed her mind or that they'd agreed on a different night. He walked over to the small table in his sitting room where he'd left his mobile in order to double-check. Sure enough, there were no new messages or missed calls from Anna and they had definitely confirmed their dinner date for this Friday night. He'd just have to head over to her flat and hope she hadn't forgotten about him.

Halfway to Anna's John realized he hadn't stopped to get her flowers. He was old-fashioned enough to know not to show up empty-handed before the first few dates. He stopped at the first flower shop he could find and selected a small bouquet of wildflowers. Somehow he knew Anna preferred the unconventional. She was dating him, after all. Hardly the traditional choice for a beautiful woman such as her. With flowers carefully secured, he continued on to Anna's flat.

John rang the buzzer to Anna's flat at almost exactly seven. He waited patiently for a response while straightening his shirt and brushing the wayward lock of hair that always fell into his eye back into place. After several minutes, there was still no response from Anna's flat. Puzzled, John double-checked the flat number Anna provided for him and rang the buzzer once more. He was certain they were to have a date this evening, so the lack of an answer concerned him. John bounced around on the balls of his feet, wondering what to do when one of her neighbors opened the door, holding it open for him to follow behind. John headed for the lift and pushed the button for Anna's floor, hoping she wouldn't turn him away at her door. All of his old insecurities were coming back, even though it seemed like he and Anna were on the same page when it came to their feelings for each other. Finally, the lift reached Anna's floor, and he navigated the hallway to her flat. He knocked on the door and waited, more nervous than ever.

* * *

Inside the flat, Anna had never felt worse. It seemed like everything she had eaten for the past week was suddenly deciding to escape her body in any way possible. It had to have been that blasted sushi she and Mary had for lunch that day. She had made herself at home in the tiny bathroom of her flat, unable to peel herself away for the life of her. She had no idea what time it was, only knowing that it must be getting close to the time John was supposed to pick her up for their date. Anna moaned at the thought. She couldn't decide what felt worse – the horrible sickness, or the fact that she'd have to cancel her date with John. She couldn't even muster the strength to find her mobile to send him a text message telling him not to come.

Suddenly, Anna felt the uncontrollable urge to empty the contents of her stomach for the umpteenth time that evening, and just managed to lift her head to the toilet before she was sick all over the floor, the faint sound of her flat's buzzer competing with the sounds of her own retching.

Moments later, Anna awoke from her curled up position of the floor to the sound of frantic knocks coming from her door, with the sound of a man shouting her name.

"Anna! Anna! Please open up if you're home. It's John! I'm worried about you!"

The fact that it was John at her door served as a splash of cold water to her face, causing her to feel more alive than she'd felt all afternoon. Anna struggled to her feet, just managing to flush her latest bout of sickness down the toilet. She stumbled toward the door, aware that she must look a horrible fright, but not really caring. She needed to see John so at least he knew she wasn't avoiding him on purpose.

Anna had just made it to the door and opened it as John had raised his fist to knock once more. She flung open the door and immediately slumped forward. John, like the gentleman he was dropped the flowers he was holding in one hand in order to ensure Anna didn't fall flat on her face into the hallway.

"My god, Anna, what's the matter? Are you ill?" John asked with the utmost concern.

He could feel Anna nod her head against his chest. Anna managed to respond weakly, "Food poisoning. Bad sushi I think."

Suddenly, Anna pulled away from him and bolted to the bathroom, pressing her hand against her mouth. "Oh, god," was all John heard from her as she bolted away.

Standing in her doorway, John knew that he wasn't going to leave her to fend for herself in that condition. It looked like their date night would not be going as planned seeing as how Anna couldn't go more than a few minutes without being ill. This fact concerned John greatly. She needed fluids and rest, and he was determined to be the one to provide that for her.

Entering Anna's flat and closing the door behind him, he retrieved the discarded bouquet of flowers from the floor and set them down on her entry table and followed the sounds of her retching into her bathroom.

Kneeling down next to her, John gently pulled Anna's hair away from her face, keeping it safe from her sick. "It'll be ok, Anna. I'm here," John soothed, rubbing comforting circles on her back with his free hand.

"You shouldn't be here, John. I don't want you seeing me like this," Anna managed to get out between retches.

Admittedly, John didn't particularly relish watching anyone being ill next to him, but he wasn't about to leave Anna to her own devices. He liked her, simple as that. And he liked her enough to kneel next to her as she battled food poisoning.

"I'm not going anywhere, and there's nothing you can do to change my mind about that." John looked at Anna hunched over the toilet. "And I don't think you're currently in the position to challenge me. I'm taking care of you, and that's final."

As horrible as Anna felt, there was a part of her stomach that fluttered. Not from sickness, but from the love she was feeling toward this man. She couldn't comprehend much at the moment, but she knew John Bates was a keeper.

For the next several minutes, John held back Anna's hair and spoke soothing words as Anna continued to empty the contents of her stomach. Finally, Anna felt that nothing more could come out of her. She leaned back and slumped into John's waiting arms, her back slumped against his strong chest.

"I think I'm done," Anna sighed out with the remaining energy she had left.

"Do you think you can stand long enough to brush your teeth? Then I'll help you into bed."

"I don't know if I can. Can you help me?"

"Of course." John carefully removed himself from behind her, stood, and bent down at the waist to help her stand, his knee twinging slightly as he did so. He tried to keep from grimacing, not wanting Anna to feel guilty for causing him pain. Thankfully, she seemed to be too far out of it to notice.

"Come on, let's get you over to the sink," John commanded as he lifted her arm around his neck and wrapped his arm around her waist.

He guided them both the few steps toward her sink, using his body and the sink to keep her upright. He reached around her to wet her toothbrush before squeezing toothpaste on it and handing it to her.

"Go ahead and brush, and I'll be right behind you to make sure you don't fall."

Anna nodded and brushed her teeth weakly, before rinsing her mouth and spitting into the sink. This was certainly not how she'd expected her first date with John to go. Oh, she was going to be _so _embarrassed when she finally felt well enough.

"Ok, Anna, let's get you into bed and then I'll get you something to drink. You need to get some fluids in you."

John wrapped his arm around Anna's waist once again and guided her to the bedroom, gently flopping her onto the bed when they reached it.

"Do you want to change your clothes, Anna?" John asked as he noticed she was wearing skinny jeans and a blouse. Those would not be comfortable enough to sleep in. He almost regretted asking as soon as the words left his mouth. There was no way he was going to be able to accomplish such as a task in a gentlemanly way. As much as he wanted to see Anna out of her clothes – and he was comfortable enough with his feelings for her to admit that to himself – this was not how he wanted it to happen.

John was shaken from his thoughts when he heard Anna mumble something about a top drawer. He left Anna reposed on her bed while he ambled toward her dresser, opening the top drawer. He couldn't keep the blush from blooming on his cheeks as he noticed the top drawer contained quite an array of bras and panties alongside her nightwear. John rifled through the drawer as quickly and as demurely as he could hoping to find something suitable for her to wear. He lifted out what appeared to be a long nightdress and decided that would do quite nicely. He closed the drawer quickly, but not before catching a glimpse of some of her more racy items. He could only hope he'd have the opportunity to see them again someday, and hopefully only for a brief moment before removing them from her body. He shook those thoughts from his head and returned back to Anna.

"Ok, Anna. I need to take off your blouse so I can put on your nightshirt. Are you okay with me doing that?" John asked and waited for some sort of confirmation from Anna. There was no way he would allow himself to undress her without her consent.

"Mmmmhmm…" was the only response Anna could manage, but it was good enough for John.

Reaching behind her, John managed to lift her up into an upright position, whereupon she flopped forward onto his chest. He reached down and gently pulled her blouse over her head, trying not to catch a glimpse of anything he shouldn't see yet. He then turned and grabbed her nightshirt and prepared to put it on over her head. He put each of her arms through the sleeves, but in order to put the shirt on, he was going to have to lift her off his chest, and inevitably see her in her bra. It was bad enough he could feel her breasts pressed against his chest, their soft weight feeling like heaven against him. "Get yourself together, John," he muttered to himself in a mantra to keep his libido in check. Somehow, he managed to pull the top over her head while only catching a slight glimpse of her chest. He then let Anna lie back on the bed. "I need to undo your jeans, now. Is that ok?" John asked once again. He waited for her confirming "S'kay" before he unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans. He began to pull them down her legs, pulling her nighshirt down over her hips as he went in order to preserve her modesty. Soon enough her jeans were removed and she was ready for bed. He swung her legs over so they were completely on the bed, put a pillow under her head and pulled the quilt she had at the foot of the bed over her body, tucking her in as best he could.

"Ok, Anna. I'm going to bring you some water to drink and then I'm going to go out to find you some lovely broth to sip on to settle your stomach. I'll be back."

John made his way to her kitchen, opening random cabinets until he found where she kept her glasses, pulling one out and filling it with water. He found a straw so she could drink without having to lift herself up too much and then went back to her bedroom. He helped her sit up, "Anna, I need you to drink some of this water and then you can go back to sleep."

Anna groggily sipped the water and then promptly fell back against the pillow and into a deep slumber.

"Right," John spoke to himself, "I need to find your keys so I can let myself back in. If I were keys, where would I be?" John looked around the kitchen counters, the table and by the front door where he found Anna's house keys hanging conveniently on a hook. He left the house, locking up behind him as he ventured out to make sure Anna had something suitable to eat when she woke up.

An hour later, John returned to Anna's flat carrying a steaming container of broth, some saltines and a bottle of ginger ale, and some snacks for himself. He always loved to slurp soup and munch on crackers when he had an upset stomach and hoped Anna felt the same.

After setting the containers down on her kitchen counter, John made his way back to Anna's room to check on her. She seemed to have been asleep the entire time he was gone and didn't appear to have been sick again. That was a relief.

John didn't want to leave Anna alone, so he decided to put himself to work cleaning her bathroom and tidying up where he could. He didn't want her to wake up and have to clean up after herself when she wasn't feeling well.

It was several hours later and Anna was still asleep. John wasn't about to leave her alone, she he fixed himself some snacks and then made himself comfortable on her couch with a blanket. Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Anna woke up as the morning sun began to peek through her curtains. The first thing she noticed was that she was sleeping on top of her covers wearing one of her most matronly nightshirts. The second thing she noticed was that her head felt like someone was jackhammering inside it. Swinging her legs off the bed and putting her feet on the floor, Anna then reached up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. As she came more into consciousness, memories of the night before flitted through her consciousness. She remembered a soothing hand rubbing circles on her back as she was ill, comforting words echoing in her ears. Suddenly, Anna sat up rod straight. John. John saw her ridiculously ill and retching in the toilet. Oh lord. How was she supposed to face him now?

Snoring coming from the direction of her living room quickly drew her from her thoughts. Tip-toeing to her doorway, Anna peeked her head around to see where, or whom the snoring was coming from. She gasped and quickly threw her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound when she saw John passed out asleep on her couch, his mouth open allowing the snores to escape, a throw pillow cuddled to his chest. She had to admit, he looked gorgeous. He was still fully clothed, aside from removing his shoes, but look sleep tousled in a way that greatly appealed to her. His hair was loose, and flopping onto his forehead, his morning stubble framing his masculine features. Anna couldn't recall what he'd looked like she he'd shown up her door the night before, but it was difficult to believe he could have looked more gorgeous than he did at that moment.

John must have sensed Anna scrutinizing him as he chose that moment to shake himself awake. She watched as he opened his eyes slowly, confusion furrowing his brow as he tried to figure out where he was and why. Realization crept over his face as he sat upright on the couch and turned toward Anna's bedroom in an attempt to check on her.

Anna blushed as she met his eyes, knowing she'd been caught out observing him.

"Good morning," John croaked, his voice still thick with sleep. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, though I feel as though there's construction going on inside my head."

"That's probably the dehydration. Let me get you some water." John stood and quickly made his way into the kitchen before Anna could muster a protest. Instead, she stood in the doorway of her bedroom and observed. She had to admit, he'd made himself quite at home in the short time he'd been there, and she didn't mind one bit. It was refreshing to have someone looking after her.

She observed as John walked back toward her, noticing he was limping more than she'd ever seen. "Are you ok?" She asked as she glanced down toward his knee.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just twisted it a bit. I'll be right as rain soon enough. Nothing to worry about. Now, drink up and get back into bed," he commanded as he handed her a full glass of water. "Would you be up for a bit of toast and some broth?"

"That sounds lovely."

Anna crawled back into bed, while John returned to the kitchen. Minutes later, John returned carrying a try laden with a bowl of steaming broth, two slices of toast, and more butter than she could possibly need. There was also a small vase with a few blooms perched on the corner. John set the tray on her lap and Anna immediately reached her hand out to delicately touch the flowers. "Where did you find these?"

"I took a few from the bouquet I brought you last night. I put the rest in a larger vase on your kitchen table."

Anna couldn't keep the smile from blooming on her face. "You sweet man." She picked up the spoon and gently stirred the broth. "I'm sorry for getting sick. I was looking forward to our date, but now I've ruined it."

John sat down on the edge of her bed and took her free hand in both of his. "You've ruined nothing. I was glad to be here. It was unconventional, yes, but I wouldn't have rather been anywhere else."

"Truly?" Anna asked, imploring him with her eyes.

"Truly. Now, I wish I could stay with you all day to nurse you back to full strength, but I promised my mam I'd pop round to help her around the house."

"Of course, you've done much more than you needed. I can't thank you enough for taking such good care of me."

"I'm glad to do it. Would you mind terribly if I came by on my way home, just to check up on you? Else I'll worry."

"Well, we can't have that. Of course, come over whenever. I'll not be going anywhere today. Not feeling like I do, anyway."

"Right, well, do you have everything you need? Anything I can get or do for you before I leave?"

Anna surveyed the area around her. She had ample food and drink, and the TV remote was in reach. She'd manage just fine.

"I don't believe so. I appear to be well taken care of, Mr. Bates."

"Good. Text me if you need me to bring you anything, or if you need me for any reason."

"I will."

"I'll see you later. Please get some rest," John ordered. Without thinking, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Anna's forehead, and with a smile left the room and the flat.

As much as Anna hated being ill, she couldn't be more pleased with the way John took care of her. She found it hard to believe someone hadn't snatched him up before, but was thankful he was now in her life. She tucked into her broth and toast, and then fell asleep, dreaming of when she'd see him again.


End file.

Downton Abbey, Humor, Romance