Early April 1915

John was reading his newspaper at the table while Anna was busy sewing next to him. He had missed sharing his evenings with Anna while in London, but they had spent every night together since he had returned a fortnight ago. His time in London passed quickly enough, filled with service to his lordship, visits to his mother and lawyer, and letters back and forth with Anna. But saying he was glad to be back at Downton and with Anna was an understatement.

John noticed Anna's attention was out in the hallway so he glanced slightly over his paper and saw Mrs. Hughes talking to some of the younger housemaids. Mrs. Hughes finally dismissed the housemaids who left rather excitedly. The housekeeper then entered the hall.

"Excuse me, Anna, but I have a favor to ask," Mrs. Hughes said.

"Sure, Mrs. Hughes, let me know what you need." Anna replied sweetly. Even if she had a full workload, Anna would find time to assist those nearest to her. John loved that she said yes even before she knew what the favor was.

"Well, apparently there's a luncheon in town tomorrow for the local battalion. It appears some of the soldiers invited Rose, Katherine, and May to accompany them. Normally, I wouldn't approve of such fraternization for the younger housemaids, but those lads are going off to war so I told them to go, but only if they had a chaperone. Would you be able to go with them tomorrow and keep an eye on them?"

"Of course, Mrs. Hughes, I can chaperone them and hopefully keep them out of trouble." Anna replied.

"Thank you, Anna, I greatly appreciate your help." Mrs. Hughes replied graciously.

"Mrs. Hughes, if you would like, I can accompany Anna. It may help to have a man along to keep the soldiers in line and another set of eyes couldn't hurt." John offered. He tried to mask how desperately he wanted to spend some time outside of the house with Anna. The flower show had been cancelled this year due to the war and so many other traveling shows and fairs had disbanded as well. Yes, there was time each Sunday to walk to and from Church together, but they were usually surrounded by others and the time always passed too quickly. John simply longed for a substantial time with Anna outside of Downton.

"Oh no, Mr. Bates, I could never ask you to go." Mrs. Hughes responded.

"It's really no problem. His lordship was invited to the luncheon as well so he'll be there all day. I already have his uniform pressed and his mending complete so I'll have a bit of time tomorrow. I have no problem helping Anna chaperone." John insisted.

"Well, Mr. Bates, if you are willing, two sets of eyes would put my mind more at ease. Thank you both." Mrs. Hughes smiled and left the servants' hall.

Once Mrs. Hughes was out of earshot, Anna's hand found John's under the table. She teased, "You silly beggar, you just want to keep an eye on me around those soldiers. Don't trust me around men in uniforms?"

John let out a deep, hearty laugh. He continued for several seconds before he regained his composure. One of the hall boys looked into the servants' hall because of the commotion, but once he saw it was only John and Anna, he left. John replied quietly, "Well, I am a man in uniform and you can't seem keep your hands off me." He squeezed her hand under the table and Anna turned scarlet.

John continued, "I just thought you would be happy with the prospect of spending some time with me outside of the house. But, if you want some alone time with the soldiers, I'll go tell Mrs. Hughes I reconsidered."

"No, no, don't do that. Quite an ingenious suggestion to get us both out of the house. But we do need to keep our eyes on the girls some of the time, or Mrs. Hughes will have both of our heads," replied Anna.

The following day after the morning chores, John escorted Anna and the younger housemaids towards the path to town. The air was finally warm enough for Anna to wear the blue dress she was altering in the hall so many months ago. She had a light petticoat on her shoulders. John had guessed right, she was beautiful in the dress, but John was bias; he would find Anna beautiful in anything.

A natural divide occurred as the younger housemaids eagerly walked ahead and Anna stayed behind with John. The young girls were chattering and giggling about the prospects of their day, completely oblivious to anything else around them. Above them, the sky was clear yet John noticed clouds gathering in the distance.

"Isn't May's brother in the battalion? Is that how they were invited?" John asked. He had been trying to put the pieces together in his head. John was sometimes grateful that it was so difficult for the female staff to meet men outside of the house.

"Yes, Rose and Katherine have been begging May to make the introductions to all of her brother's comrades. So the last few weeks, at church or in town, May has orchestrated the introductions. They were quite ecstatic to be invited today, but were afraid Mrs. Hughes wouldn't let them go. They actually asked me to ask her, but I thought it would be best coming from them. They have been talking about the lunch all morning. By this time tomorrow, they may all have wartime sweethearts. Actually, the way they're talking, several sweethearts."

"If you're lucky, you may find yourself a sweetheart as well. Women find it hard to resist a soldier. And you deserve a nice lad," John said to Anna. Part of him was teasing, but part of him was testing the waters. For Anna's sake, it would be easier if she found someone else. As much as he dreaded the thought, she deserved someone who could give her everything. Anna hated when John talked this way, but he wanted her to keep her options open. Even after all of their progress, he hated the idea that she was throwing her future away for him.

While in London, John had contacted his lawyer, Mr. Cromwell, about the divorce process. John had been optimistic that abandonment would be just cause for divorce, but Mr. Cromwell informed him it wasn't the case. John would have to first find Vera and also find proof of her infidelities. Until then, Mr. Cromwell could be of no more assistance. John hadn't seen or heard from his wife in over five years but was optimistic she was still in London. He started searching around their former residence, talking with old neighbors and acquaintances, but no one had heard from her in years, or at least, that's what they told him. John tried to contact Vera's closest friend, Mrs. Bartlett, but she refused to talk to him at all. He had a feeling she knew something but he had no power to force her to talk. After three afternoons of fruitless searching, John resigned himself to the fact that Vera had left London, but had no idea to where. He wished he could just find the horrible woman and be done with her, but until then, he was being unfair to Anna. Of course, John hadn't mentioned his search for Vera because he did not want to get her hopes up. Nothing could be crueler than giving Anna false hope about their future and taking it all away.

"Mr. Bates, you are not having second thoughts about us, are you? I thought we were past this," Anna said, clearly aggravated. She had read him like an open book, realizing he was trying to set her free.

Today was supposed to be a nice day together outside of the house, but of course, John was ruining the day. Why did he have to bring things up? Why couldn't he just let things be? He felt guilty and hopeless about the Vera situation and was letting it bother him. "Just know that if one day you wake up and realize that you've made a mistake with all of this, I'd understand and there'll be no hard feelings." John replied.

"That's never going to happen. Mr. Bates, I love you and always will." Anna replied sweetly but added with a little annoyance, "So stop being so thick-headed."

Anna's words made him feel better but there was still heaviness in the pit of his stomach.

"Anna, I am sorry. I'm not use to someone so good in my life. I'm afraid I need to be reassured it's real from time to time. But that isn't fair to you, and I truly am sorry."

"Mr. Bates, I know you need to be reassured, that's why I do it all the time. I don't want you to have to hide anything from me, even the doubts and worries." Anna looked at him, "Did something happen while you were in London?"

"What makes you say that?" John asked. He hoped he wasn't being that obvious, but she was right, he had been more negative since returning from London.

"Intuition? That distant look in your eyes? Something's bothering you and you said your mother was well so it's not that," Anna explained.

John took a deep breath. He had sent some letters to Vera's relatives and a few friends back in Ireland. He at least wanted to hear back from them before he said anything. John held onto a small sliver of hope that someone will know where she was.

"Yes, you're right, something did happen, but it's still in progress. I'll tell you soon enough, just not now," John finally said.

"Alright," Anna replied. Once again, John appreciated her patience and understanding.

John looked ahead and saw the younger housemaids entering the hall. He realized their alone time was almost over, but he wanted to end it on a happier note. He looked down at Anna and smiled.

"Let's have a good afternoon. I promise I'll stop being so daft if you enjoy yourself." John said.

"I think I can manage that," Anna replied.

"And please at least let the soldiers think they have a chance with someone as beautiful as you. Don't completely shut them down, at least act interested, so they'll be brimming with confidence before they leave for battle," John requested.

"And you promise you won't mind?" Anna teased.

"No, because I know who will be walking you home." By then, they had reached the door, so John held it open for her. The hall was nearly filled with uniforms, but the occasional civilian dotted the crowd. John and Anna found some spots at a table near the back. Just as they sat down, a man called the room to order. Several of the commanding officers gave speeches and even his lordship said a few words. Finally, the vicar dedicated a blessing for the soldiers and prayed over the food. The hall was then filled with the sound of utensils scratching plates and the chatter of hundreds of people. John talked briefly to the soldiers at his table, but mainly just listened. He hardly wanted to discuss war, but he could do little to escape the conversation during the meal.

After lunch ended, everyone had the opportunity to mingle with others. Anna politely talked to anyone that approached her, greeting each person with a warm smile. John mainly stood in the outskirts, not in the mood to talk of war any longer. He tried to refrain from hovering over Anna, but from time to time, he would catch a bit of the conversation. Every time one of the soldiers complimented Anna, her ears burned bright red and her eyes found John. These men were headed to war; he had no problem with them flirting with Anna, as long as none of them tried anything or got too crass. John feigned jealousy a few times, but he would always follow his act with a wink to reassure Anna it was all in jest. John finally left her side to keep tabs on the younger girls. Mrs. Hughes would skin Anna and John if anything happened to them. The housemaids were surprisingly conducting themselves maturely and keeping out of trouble, all he noticed was harmless flirting. But no one was trying to sneak off or be indecent. John supposed Anna could have chaperoned them by herself, but he would never tell Mrs. Hughes that, in case another opportunity arose for chaperoning.

Lord Grantham noticed John and summoned him. His lordship was surrounded by the officers, talking about the glory days. John shifted uncomfortably as Lord Grantham talked about John during the war. His lordship was retelling their battles and even mentioned John's injury. John's collar seemed to be tightening around his neck as the thoughts of war pounded down on him. He was about ready to get some air when he heard those around him bidding each other farewell.

As others were departing, John's eyes found Anna and he already felt calmer. She walked up to him with a soft smile.

Anna said, "Now the hard part, getting the others to leave. I hate to end their fun, but we need to get back to prepare for dinner."

John simply responded, "I'll be the bad guy and take care of it."

John saw May, Rose, and Katherine laughing with a group of soldiers. He approached them and coughed loudly, interrupting the fun. "Ladies, we best be getting back." The girls glared at him for a moment before saying goodbye. The soldiers were upset to see them go and protested their departure. But with one final look at John, the girls begrudgingly followed him.

As the group left the building, dark clouds and the smell of rain greeted them. The air had cooled considerably since the morning.

"It's gonna storm. We best hurry if we don't want to get stuck," John said.

The three girls hurried down the path towards Downton, a bit more subdued than in the morning. Clearly, they hoped to catch the soldiers outside one last time, but the imminent rain ruined any chance.

John quickened his pace the best he could, but his bad leg refused to continue at such a rate. Even as rain drops began to fall, Anna stayed with him.

"You don't have to wait for me," and then he added, "we both don't need to get wet." The rain was mainly a mist at the moment, but he could sense the storm building and knew he would not be able to outrun the rain.

"I know I don't have to wait for you, Mr. Bates, but I want to wait for you. Always." Anna replied, with emphasis on all the right words.

Something as simple as adding the always made John's heart nearly burst. He could have every doubt in the world, but she would never give up on him. "Reassuring me again?" John asked with a smile.

They continued down the path in the light rain and silence for some time. He soured their conversations before lunch and he did not want to spoil their alone time again. Every so often, his hand would brush against hers, but he kept his eyes to the path. Looking at Anna would only slow him down so he owed it to both of them to continue full steam ahead. The girls were only small figures in the distance. Just as John thought they may be able to make it back before the storm, the skies completely opened up and heavy rain flooded down. He heard the screams of the younger housemaids as he presumed they took off running. The rain obscured any sites outside his immediately proximity.

John finally looked at Anna, shivering without an umbrella. She refused to leave his side, even in a downpour.

"Anna, wait, take this." John took off his overcoat and went to place it on Anna. She stepped towards him and he finally saw how truly wet she was. Her hair was drenched and water droplets speckled her nose. But John had a hard time focusing on her face. Her dress was soaked, making it partially see-through. Her shawl did little to hide what was underneath. He could only stare, mouth agape, at the wet fabric hanging to her curves. As John's sights returned to Anna's face, he noticed a hungriness in her eye that mirrored his own desire. Completely forgetting about the coat and rain, John instead brought his lips to her. He kissed her passionately, relishing the moment. As his hand free of the coat clung to her hips, her shivering body finally brought John back to his senses.

"Oh, right, sorry," was all he could muster as he draped his heavy coat over her shoulders. His coat did enough to cover her small frame, finally protecting her from the rain.

"Don't be." Anna giggled as she found his eyes, blinking through raindrops. John felt like a wet dog, he was soaked to the bone, but all he could do was smile. A strand of Anna's hair was plastered to her forehead, so he gently put it back in place behind her ear. He nearly kissed her again but Anna interrupted with, "We best be moving." She was right, they hadn't moved in minutes, they best not dolly any longer.

This time, Anna left John's side and took the lead. Shortly, the torrential downpour transformed into a steady rain, slightly improving the visibility. John willed his leg to move faster but found it increasingly difficult as he had evaded puddles. Anna noticed his struggles so tried to take the easiest and driest path forward. John followed her footsteps to the best of his ability. As they walked the last bend toward home, the rain returned to a light mist.

Every so often, Anna would look back and give John a sweet grin, slyly beckoning him to catch her. He nearly caught her several times, trying to grab her hips, but she would always speed up at the last second.

"Toying with me?" John growled.

"No, just trying to get us back faster." Anna responded with a light laugh. She looked back at him a little too long and didn't notice the dip in the path. John saw the hazard at the last second, but she was already upon it before he could utter a warning

Instinctively, John dropped his cane and lunged for Anna. He managed to reach her before she fell. But as he supported her weight, pain shot through his bad leg as it settled at an awkward angle. Anna stood up, but as John tried to mimic the action, his knee gave way and he fell hard to his hands and good knee.

"ARRRGGHHH," was all he could manage to say as he attempted to rise.

"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" Anna said as she supported him to an upright position but his right leg refused to bear any weight. He looked down and noticed his ripped pants revealed a bleeding left knee as well. He hadn't even felt that scrape.

Concerned filled her face as she asked "Oh no, should I go get someone?"

"No, no, we are almost there. But I may need your help the rest of the way." John grimaced as he again tried to put weight on his bad leg. "I may need a lot of help."

Anna grabbed his cane and curled under his right shoulder, placing her hand on his back, "Just lean on me, I got you," she said quietly. "This is my fault, I should have been paying attention."

Slowly, but surely, they struggled to the back of the house. Initially, John thought his leg would be alright, but even with Anna, each step became more and more taxing. He hoped it was merely a sprain since he didn't hear or feel a pop. John tried to brave the pain the best he could to keep Anna from worrying. But his clenched jar and tight grasp on her waist clearly showed his discomfort. The pain with each step sufficiently prevented him from enjoying the closeness to Anna.

Mrs. Hughes opened the back door for them. Clearly she had been on the lookout for the pair after the girls returned without them. "Good heavens, are you alright?" John collapsed immediately in the first chair he saw.

"Daisy, please go fetch William." Mrs. Hughes bellowed to the scullery maid. Daisy nodded and left for upstairs.

"What are on earth happened?" the housekeeper asked as she tried to survey the damage.

"My knee gave out." John explained.

"A little more than that happened. I wasn't paying attention and tripped. I would've fell flat on my face if Mr. Bates didn't catch me. His leg wasn't properly planted as he supported my weight and then, yes, his knee gave out." Anna elaborated.

"It'll be fine after I sit for a bit" John assured them, but he knew that was a lie. Even sitting, his leg throbbed worse that it had in years.

"Don't listen to him. He can't put any weight on his knee at all, we barely made it back." Anna further explained, worried about him.

"I'm going to send for Dr. Clarkson, but we need to get you cleaned up. You're drenched to the bone and bleeding as well. You're going to catch a cold," Mrs. Hughes said, sounding exactly like his mother. While he appreciated the concern from both women, he did not want them to fret needlessly over him.

"No, no, don't need to make a fuss and get Dr. Clarkson. I just need some rest," John truly appreciated the offer, but he did not want to be an inconvenience. He contemplated standing up and making his way upstairs, but he doubted that he could do it alone.

"Nonsense, we are sending for Dr. Clarkson and he is going to check you out," Mrs. Hughes reassured him.

As John looked back between Mrs. Hughes and Anna, he knew the battle was lost and he made no more objections.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," Anna said.

Mrs. Hughes joked kindly, "I'm not saying you should have let Anna fall, but you seemed to cause more trouble for yourself by catching her."

"I'll try to remember that next time, but I don't think I could ever let a lady fall in my presence," John responded. The housekeeper had a point, but he did not regret his actions.

"No, I wouldn't expect you to do that. But you are going to have to stay off that leg for a while." Mrs. Hughes added.

By this time, Anna and William had both entered the servants' hall.

"How can I help, Mrs. Hughes?" William asked as he observed the state John was in.

"Ah, William, could you please assist Mr. Bates up the stairs and help him out of his wet clothes before he gets sick?" Mrs. Hughes asked.

"Of course," William said.

"One second, let me clean up his knee," Anna interjected; her hands were full of antiseptic and bandages.

Mrs. Hughes nodded and Anna bent down in front of him, tending to his scraped knee. John struggled to not blush as her delicate hands tended to his leg. The antiseptic stung but her fingers gently stroked the back of his knee to distract him from the pain. Luckily, Mrs. Hughes and William were at an angle where they could not see her secret touch. She then wrapped his knee.

"There, he's all yours, William." Anna said. And with that, John rose while trying to avoiding placing weight on his right leg. William supported him up the stairs, but he heard Anna talking to Mrs. Hughes.

"I just feel awful, it was all my fault. If only I was looking where I was going." Anna said. By the time Mrs. Hughes responded, John and William were out of earshot. But John hated that Anna felt guilty about the accident. He should have known better and been more careful, but he could have never let her fall.

A/N: Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews! I really do appreciate reading all of them.

I wanted to let you know this story will be on hiatus for a month or so, or at least, on the back burner. I am wanting to write another Bates/Anna story before the Christmas Special airs so that one will take precedence. And if anyone's interested, I would like someone to preview my new story and help me fix some kinks. Once finals are done and break starts, I may have time to work on both but no promises. This story is definitely not done yet, still a lot more fluff and angst to come.

Speaking of which, I have some of the next chapters plans, and some of the chapters right before season 2 planned, but there's still some open space in my timeline. If you have any request of special moments for between season 1 and season 2, I would be happy to try to incorporate it into my story. I am always very opened to suggestions, and sometimes others have great insight that adds to the stories. So yes, please let me know.

Okay, so this chapter had a mind of its own, it went about 5 different directions as I wrote it but I tried to pull it all together. I think it's my longest chapter because I had so many ideas for it, and I knew I was taking a break so I wanted to get as much down as possible. I hope you enjoyed some of the playful banter, some of the angst (which is a bit of development for later chapters), and of course, Bates' injury (which will allow Anna ample time to care for him).