AN: All right, here's the epilogue I felt I owed you...fluff, a very pregnant Cora, Robert fussing, and (eventually) a healthy baby. Enjoy!

Three years later

"Now, I believe you said something about ice cream?" Robert said, smiling down at Cora, whom he had just helped settle onto the couch. She was two weeks past her due date, and—although Robert had been careful never to say so aloud—he was quite simply amazed at how massive her belly was. He thought it, and she, were breathtakingly beautiful, but he also could not imagine how her small frame could support the weight. With difficulty, he supposed, if her grunts and her huffing and puffing and her frequent need for his help getting up were any indication.

"Yes, please," she said, smiling back. "And thank you again for getting that."

He kissed her temple, taking the opportunity to caress her belly again. "Of course, darling. Anything to make you happy. What flavor would you like?"

Earlier in her pregnancy, Cora had told him in passing that what she craved most was Graeter's, the special ice cream made in her hometown of Cincinnati…and he had immediately found the company online, discovered they shipped for free within the eastern half of the U.S., and paid an astronomical amount to have several cartons of the stuff overnighted to London. At these prices, there had better be bars of gold tucked in between the ice cream, he'd thought, but he'd been rewarded when a very hormonal Cora had burst into tears upon finding it tucked in the freezer and thrown her arms around him, covering him in kisses.

Tonight was Valentine's Day, and Robert's original plan had been to make them dinner at home. He'd very much expected the baby to be here by now, and even if it weren't, he doubted Cora would feel like dressing up and going anywhere. She had not had an easy pregnancy and had often been so miserable as she neared its end that, at Robert's suggestion, she had left her job at the V&A at the end of the year, rather than working up until the birth. It has not seemed to matter so much at the time, as she'd not intended to return to work once the baby was born, but the end result was that she'd grown increasingly restless over the past six weeks as she'd watched the clock and the calendar.

And so he had not been surprised when she'd insisted on going out for a formal Valentine's dinner, and he had not wanted to deny her. Instead of dessert at the restaurant, though, she'd suggested they go home for Graeter's. He suspected her desire to cut the evening short stemmed from how taxing she was finding it—a suspicion that had been confirmed by her difficulty getting out of the cab and the heavy way she'd leaned on his arm on the way into their building.

Cora pursed her lips, considering flavors. "Oh, it doesn't matter, I don't think. Whatever's on top."

He went into the kitchen, where he removed her three favorite ice creams from the freezer, dropping scoops of cinnamon and black cherry chocolate chip and simple, plain chocolate into a bowl, and then filled the hot water bottle she'd grown fond of.

"Oh, you brought heat for me—bless you," she said as he stepped back into the room. "My back is throbbing."

"I figured," he said, giving her another kiss on the forehead as she sat up slightly, letting him slip the hot water bottle between her spine and the pillow she was resting against. "And I've got a full sundae for you."

"Oh, I didn't need so much," she said as he passed her the bowl of ice cream, but she attacked it immediately with the spoon he'd brought, and he chuckled. "Don't you want any for yourself, Robert?" she asked as he took a seat on the couch at her feet.

"No, sweetheart, the Graeter's is all for you. And I want to take care of you while you eat it. Your feet are swelling again," he said, taking them into his lap and beginning a gentle massage.

She sighed. "Thanks." They lapsed into silence, and he took the opportunity to study her as she ate, her attention intently focused on her bowl. The tip of her tongue slipped out to lick a bit of ice cream from her lips, and he thought immediately of the kisses they had shared earlier that evening in the back of a cab.

He let his gaze wander further down her body, his eyes caressing the breasts that had filled out in recent months, as well as, of course, her belly. The words Cora had applied to herself at the end of her pregnancy had been along the lines of cow, elephant, and whale, but he didn't think anything could have been further from the truth. He thought the swell of their baby was absolutely beautiful, and Cora had only grown prettier as she'd grown bigger, her face taking on a sweet, new roundness to match the rest of her body. Robert was eager to meet the baby, and eager for Cora's discomfort to end, but he suspected he'd very much miss the sight of his pregnant wife and the feel of her belly under his hands.

He watched as she shifted awkwardly, pushing her shoulders back with a slight wince, trying to ease one of her aches, and he felt the familiar sensation of his heart expanding, as though it were not sure it was going to remain in his chest. Oh, how he loved this woman, loved every inch of her—and how strange it was, as he still occasionally thought, to imagine that she had spent the beginning of their marriage believing he didn't love her at all. For what he had loved most about that unborn baby—and what he loved most about this one—was that they were Cora's babies, that they were taking shape inside Cora.

"Are you all right, darling?" he asked her now.

She sighed. "I'm all right enough."

He watched as she reached the bottom of the ice cream bowl, scraping along it with the spoon. "Would you like me to get you some more?" he asked, hiding a smile at the memory of her protest that it was too much when he had first brought it to her.

Cora shook her head and set the empty bowl on what was left of her lap. "No, I think that's enough…and thank you for the massage. That does feel wonderful…I'm not sure how my feet are so sore when I only walk to and from the bathroom."

"Well, you do that so often now that it probably adds up to a good nine or ten miles a day."

"Your baby is sitting on my bladder!"

"You're nearly there, sweetheart. Not much longer."

"I feel like it's going to go on for months," she said, her voice quietly strained. "Do you know how long it is until my due date? Negative twelve days! This baby was supposed to come on the second!"

"Yes, but it's not going to go on for months. You won't be pregnant past Tuesday," he said gently, reminding her of when the doctor had said she'd be induced if her labor hadn't begun on its own. "That's only another four days."

"I'm not sure I can last another four hours," she said with another sigh, pressing her hand to her hip and arching her back slightly. "My hips feel like they're breaking, and my back is absolutely on fire."

"I know, sweetheart, I know," he soothed.

"I'm sorry I complain so much," she added quickly—as she always did in these conversations.

"You don't complain much at all," he said truthfully. "Certainly not as much as I would."

Cora smiled, and he knew she was remembering the couple of times she had witnessed him with a mild head cold, learning immediately that a Robert who did not feel one hundred percent was not a Robert who was fit to interact with other human beings.

"Darling, I think we should get you to bed," he told her as he watched her yawn.

She nodded, struggling to push herself up. "I feel like a bug that's been flipped on its back," she muttered. "A really fat bug."

"Here, don't get up," he said, standing himself. "Let me carry you." After watching Cora limp down the hall to their apartment, he didn't want her to have to walk any further tonight.

"Don't, Robert," she protested as he stooped over her. "I must weigh four hundred pounds; you shouldn't try to lift me."

"Oh, I would say you're closer to three-fifty," he said seriously as he picked her up, prompting a soft giggle. She snuggled close to him as he took her back to their bedroom, and he savored the softness and warmth of having her in his arms.

Once he'd helped her into her pajamas, she curled up on her right side in bed, groaning softly as he eased extra pillows under her belly and between her knees. "Are you comfortable, love?" he asked, and she nodded. He brushed a kiss to her cheek and then climbed into bed behind her, beginning to rub her lower back, as had become his habit in the evenings. Eventually, he felt her relaxing under his hand, and she gave a soft sigh. "Better?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, but don't stop yet, please. That's helping."

He kissed her shoulder, his fingers still working in firm circles at the base of her spine. After awhile, he heard her whisper, her voice sleepy, "Could you hold me now?"

"Of course, darling." He shifted closer to her, his arm stretching over her swollen stomach, and Cora murmured softly as she leaned back against him. She'd grown fond of falling asleep this way.

"I love you," she said quietly as he lightly stroked her belly, hoping to ease her into sleep.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He kissed her shoulder again. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Robert?" she said after a moment.

"Yes, love?"

"I've been thinking…I'm not so sure I want to name this baby Jade."

"Were you thinking you want to go ahead with Summer?" They had discussed using the name they'd planned for their first baby several years ago, but Cora had said it felt too odd to her, and that this child should have its own identity, not simply be a replacement for the one that had been lost.

"No…I was thinking…" She paused to yawn. "I was wondering if maybe we should…" She trailed off, stiffening in his arms.

His hand stilled on her belly. "Are you all right? Does something hurt?" She didn't respond, and he felt himself tensing with worry. "Cora?"

"I'm okay," she said, and he heard the excitement in her voice. "But we need to get to the hospital. My water's breaking."

"You are both so beautiful."

She could tell from Robert's voice that he was smiling, but she didn't look up—her gaze was fixed steadily on the new baby, and she had no interest in tearing her eyes away.

After an all-night labor, Cora had finally given birth just two hours ago to the little girl they'd been expecting. As exhausted as she was, and as much as she wanted to sleep, she could not bring herself to surrender the baby, who she was clutching close to her chest. With the help and encouragement of a nurse, she'd fed her shortly after the birth, and now the infant was resting quietly in Cora's arms, big blue eyes staring up at her mother's.

"She looks just like you," she heard Robert say. "I've been praying she would look like you."

Cora felt another tear slip from her eye and spill down her cheek. This had been going on since she'd first been given the baby, and she didn't think of it as crying—it was simply that her heart was so full that some of the happiness was forced to leak out of her eyes.

Robert brushed it away then softly kissed her forehead. "I think you should get some sleep. You've had a miserably difficult night. I promise she'll still be here when you wake up."

Cora shook her head. "Just a few more minutes."

Robert chuckled. "Why don't I at least hold her so that you can lie back? You'll still be able to see her, and you'll be more comfortable."

She didn't think there was any position as comfortable as having her baby in her arms, but it occurred to her that it was slightly selfish to refuse to let go when Robert had not yet held the child they had created together. And so with yet another kiss to the baby's head, she carefully transferred her to Robert's arms. More tears spilled out as she saw her husband smile so broadly she thought his face might crack.

"I believe we were interrupted last night when you mentioned names," he said suddenly, once Cora was settled and lying flat.

Yes, they had been. She'd forgotten in the stress of the night and the joy of holding the baby, but she had yet to get Robert's consent to the name she'd been silently calling their daughter.

"I was wondering," she said, "about calling her Mary. After Gran."

The idea had hit her one afternoon last month as she'd sat curled up on the couch, chatting with her grandmother-in-law as the old lady—who had spent much of the winter visiting and looking after a very pregnant Cora—made her and Robert dinner in the flat's kitchen. In the three years since Cora had moved to England, Gran had quite simply become her best friend. Robert's mother had never warmed to her, and while she liked Rosamund, her sister-in-law was a better companion for a wild night out than for an intimate conversation. Nor had she bonded particularly strongly with any of the other women she had befriended at work or through Robert's friends.

It was not a situation that had surprised her—Cora had never been given to having a long list of people with whom she was emotionally close. She formed such bonds rarely, and only when she felt completely and utterly at ease…as she always had with Robert's grandmother. And once the idea had occurred to her, it had seemed the most natural thing in the world.

Robert's eyebrows shot up in response to the suggestion. "Christ, you sure know how to wind my mother up."

It was the last response Cora had been expecting, and she laughed. "So you don't think we should?" she asked, sobering.

"No, I didn't say that. It will drive my mother wild, but that may only be another point in the name's favor." Cora giggled. "I say yes. We both love Gran, and she's certainly taken you into her heart. I like family names anyway, and I can't tell you how much I would prefer Lady Mary Crawley to Lady Jade Crawley."

Cora smiled sheepishly. She'd known Robert was very much giving way to her on the name choices when he'd approved both Summer and Jade.

"And anyway, I think my mum is going to be furious enough when she learns that Gran was the first to hear about and see the baby. We might as well do the thing properly." Robert had called his grandmother last night, and she had made plans to take the train up this morning, having agreed to stay with the couple for a few days after the new baby was brought home. Violet, meanwhile, was not even aware that her daughter-in-law had gone into labor.

"Mary, then." Cora reached out to stroke her finger against her daughter's cheek.

"Mary Josephine, perhaps," Robert suggested. "My other grandmother was Josephine—that might calm my mother somewhat if we used that for a middle name."

Cora nodded, a yawn escaping her.

"You need sleep, darling," Robert said, his voice gentle but firm. "Close your eyes—Mary and I will be right here."

Her eyes seemed to close of their own accord, and she felt his hand stroke over her hair—the same warm hand that was holding their baby, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

AN: It's always been my headcanon that Cora and Robert's grandmother were close, that it drove Violet up the wall, and that Mary is named for her. :-)

Thank you all for joining me for this story! I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I have some traveling coming up this winter, so it will be awhile before I write again, but I'm sure I'll be back. I hope you've had a very merry Christmas - happy 2017!