A/N: This was a prompt from angel-maid-anna on tumblr. Hope you enjoy my friend.

Bedtime Rituals

"Is the water too hot?" John asked as the baby wriggled in his arms. He'd already checked it three times but he always felt more at ease when he got a nod of approval from Anna. She was such a natural as a mother, the role she had been born to play, and he couldn't love her more than when he saw her interacting with their baby.

Anna was sure it would be fine, but she humored him anyway and checked it once for good measure. Reaching her hand into the shallow water of the tin bucket that John had filled, she chanced a glance over at John and watched as he cooed over their baby girl and placed gentle kisses on her tiny hands. It was still so surreal that the baby they had longed for for so long was sitting across from her in the arms of the husband she thought had been taken from her. There was no denying that life had not always been kind to them, but she would surely endure it all over again to be in a state of such happiness with the love of her life. Charlotte, sat content in her father's arms flailing her hands about wildly, much like her father, in an attempt to grasp at his nose. She had inherited Anna's pouty lips and button nose; but much to Anna's delight, Charlotte had John's hazel eyes, dark hair, and chubby cheeks.

Although she would never take their life before Charlotte for granted, she couldn't imagine life without her. Her arrival into the world on a bleak, winter night within the confines of Downton had been the beginning of a new chapter of their lives not just as parents but as a family. Her unceasing babbling and laughter were a constant source of joy to them. John teased that Charlotte's prattling was just another sign that she had taken after her mother; but Anna saw it differently. While their baby was more than happy to be with either parent, John seemed to capture Charlotte's attention and make her smile in a way Anna couldn't begin to comprehend. She probably should have taken offense to this, since it was Anna that spent the majority of her day with Charlotte while John was performing his duties up at Downton. Charlotte was clearly a Daddy's girl and simply missed her father's presence just as much as she did.

"It's fine," she answered with a knowing smile.

John turned his attention from their daughter to look back at her, but Charlotte's finger was still wrapped firmly within his. He flashed a boyish grin at her that she had only been privy to once or twice in his first year at Downton and had so craved to see more of. Since his release from prison and with the addition of their daughter she was now becoming more accustomed to it being a permanent fixture on his face. There was a short time after his release when she had wondered if he would ever be genuinely happy and relaxed again. He always seemed to be looking over his shoulder; waiting for the other shoe to drop and the nightmares had plagued him for a couple months. Sometimes, they were about prison, sometimes it was about his time on the battlefield. And then there had been the night of the house party that had threatened to destroy them completely, but it was all in the past now. While it was never truly forgotten, when she looked into the eyes of their sweet baby girl and was witness to her gummy smiles, Anna could hardly find it in herself to be troubled by such memories.

"It's more than fine," she said to herself. Anna made sure they had a change of clothes ready and at least two towels to dry her. Once in the water, Charlotte tended to be more animated and without fail would soak through the first towel as she splashed around vivaciously. Anna laughed to herself as she undid the impossibly tiny buttons on Charlotte's gown.

"What's so funny?" John inquired. It did his heart a world of good to see his wife laugh and smile again so naturally. Motherhood having suited her well; she looked more beautiful to him now than when they first met. The light from the candles cast a gentle glow on her perfect features and he was reminded of that night in the servants hall all those years ago when talk of an inn by the sea and children had been merely words. A dream that had been set aside but not forgotten. Yet here they were living out that dream.

"Sometimes when I am tending to this one's every need I feel like a proper lady's maid again," Anna commented.

"Well she is a lady to me," John said as he held her up proudly. "And I've never known a finer one."

Just as he finished his statement Charlotte blew a raspberry with her tongue between her lips. The sounds it emitted caused them all to laugh. "Just like her mother. Always giving her father a hard time," he said playfully.

Anna shook her head in disagreement but couldn't hide the smirk on her face. She gestured for John to hand her the baby and sat Charlotte down in the tub while still holding her up.

"Do you miss it?" John asked as he placed some bath oil in his hand and began to spread it over Charlotte's chubby thighs with a hand cloth. His voice was filled with concern. While the move had been good for Anna to start anew, John was well aware it had been difficult to leave the only family she had really known and the home she had spent more than half her life in.

Without hesitation she replied back, "I do." Silence filled the tiny family room, even Charlotte had managed to read the situation and looked up at Anna. "But not for the reasons you think," she assured as she placed her hand on John's forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I miss our place in the courtyard and staying up late at night in the servants hall with you reading to me," she said with a smile. Her eyes were so full of warmth and love as she regarded him. "I miss my friendship with Lady Mary and quiet chats in Mrs. Hughes sitting room. Sometimes I even miss the sharp remarks from Mrs. O'Brien and Mr. Barrow," she said as emotion filled her voice.

John raised an eyebrow at the last remark and the two of them giggled together. Charlotte eventually joined in on their laughter even though she had no understanding why she was laughing. He wagged his finger back and forth across Charlotte's lips causing a smile to erupt on their baby girl's face.

"But as much as I miss it, I'd rather bathe Charlotte than dine with the king at Buckingham Palace," Anna said resolutely.

John took comfort in this as their eyes met. How she still managed to be so optimistic in spite of everything, he couldn't begin to understand. It was a testament to her strength and her capacity to love and forgive. He would love to take credit and say he had chosen wisely when it came to picking a wife, but the truth of the matter was, Anna May Bates had chosen him. He must have done something good in a previous life to be deserving of such a fine specimen.

He continued to wash Charlotte's hair, taking extra care not to get any soap in her eyes. His hands dwarfing Charlotte's in size; all along he made conversation with their daughter as if she could fully comprehend what all he was saying.

"I miss it too you know, but this far surpsasses my expectations," he spoke up as he ran his large hand through Charlotte's thick, chestnut hair. "I had no right to any of this," he directed his words at Anna. Then he turned his attentions back to Charlotte who had a few stray bubbles accumulating on her brow and wiped it away with the pad of his thumb, "You are very lucky little one that your Mummy was courageous enough to offer her hand to me when I was too blind to see what was standing in front of me."

"Cheeky beggar," Anna shot back.

Charlotte beamed up at her Daddy like he was the be all and end all before slapping her hands down in the water and soaking John's sleeves that had already been rolled up.

Anna took the large towel in hand with her arms wide open ready to receive their daughter. John lifted her from the soapy water and pressed a kiss to Charlotte's head before handing her to Anna. "Alright, little love, go to your Mummy without a fuss," he instructed as she kept her arms outstretched towards John.

"Such a big girl," Anna praised. "You are growing up far too fast for your Mummy's and Daddy's liking my darling." She dried off the baby's face and placed butterfly kisses on Charlotte's little belly before setting her down to dress her.

John scooted over to help Anna prepare Charlotte for her bedtime ritual and stopped to place a hand on the swell of Anna's belly. "It's a good thing we have another on the way then," he joked.

Anna's cheeks flushed red, but she couldn't contain her joy at the prospect of another baby. She was hoping that this one would be a boy, but Anna knew that so long as their baby was healthy, they would be happy either way.

"Charlotte May Bates, your Daddy orders you to stop growing this instant," he said jokingly with a pointed finger.

Charlotte merely kicked the towel off herself and grabbed her feet in her hands. She brought them up towards her head and blew another raspberry at John.

"I can see this one is going to be a handful," he said to Anna.

"Yes, let's hope the next one is more accommodating," she replied with a smile as her hand drew lazy circles on her belly.

She watched as John tickled the bottom of Charlotte's feet and sprinkled some powder on her bottom before helping with her nappy. Something Anna thought she would never bear witness too, but was now aching with pride as she watched John move with such precision and care. If there had ever been a doubt in her mind that John would make a suitable father to her children, it was all but banished the moment that Charlotte had been placed in his arms shortly after her birth. He carried her like a most prized possession and his eyes danced about like he was falling in love all over again. She thought her heart might burst with love at the sight of it all. Soon there would be another little one for them to share in this joy with and she could hardly wait.

A part of her would always miss Downton and love it because it was where she had met her first and only love. Within these four walls she had known nothing but joy and happiness; she intended to keep it that way. They had gone to battle so many times that it was hard to believe the flames of their love had not been extinguished. Sometimes they had been reduced to embers, but embers that continued to burn. Charlotte was living proof of that. Their love could weather any storm, come what may.