So definitely 1 more chapter after this, maybe 2. Delayed once again … blame Disneyland, and visiting family, and vacations and summer. I had written almost the entire chapter and then changed my mind about all of it … delete… rewrite.

12 guards had arrived the following day, along with the rest of the boat weary travelers from America. The day was so busy Cora had barely had time to register the reason why as she worked with Mrs. Hughes to arrange rooms, plan the meals, coordinate the house and get everyone settled. The guards had been a bit of an issue. Not being servants, nor part of the family they needed to be settled into rooms accordingly. With 12 of them it had proved rather a go round once Carson had gotten involved, but Mrs. Hughes … Mrs. Carson rather managed to reach success at having the unusual guests housed in the bachelor's corridor. Cora had tried to stifle the amused smirk that had played about her lips as the Carson's had gone back and forth over the arrangements. She had finally let her mouth break into a large grin as they had walked away, Mrs. Carson the victor chiding her husband for his snobbish behavior. When she had heard the newly married Mrs. Carson utter "really Charles!" she had almost laughed aloud. Of all the happy couples who had seemed to come from within the walls of Downton she had a secret fondness for the Carson's.

The day flew by in a whirlwind of decisions and organizational matters. She saw Robert briefly at luncheon and twice passing in the hallway, but not long enough to truly stop and converse. She was almost glad of it, with the memories of the previous evening scorching through her brain she felt her face flush whenever she saw him and itched to pull him close to her. It was better for all concerned that she have a little distance from him today. As day turned to evening however she found herself walking up the back stairs from the servants hall to the main level after a quick review of the menu's with Mrs. Patmore with a now full house. She was aware that she had about an hour before the dinner gong and thought perhaps slipping up to her room for a quick rest would be the ideal way to spend the time. Preoccupied with her thoughts she hadn't noticed the footsteps that mirrored her own, or the unmistakable gait of an adult male, or the masculine scent that accompanied him. Rounding the corner into the hallway Cora let out a gasp of surprise as she felt strong hands grip her by the waist and push her against the wall.

"Robert!" she breathed his name in surprise, "Where did you come from?"

He leaned a hand against the wall next her head as he looked up and down the hallway quickly. Confirming there was no-one coming he closed the distance , placing his free palm to her hip as his face came within a breath of hers. His eyes searched hers, hoping he would see the same desires written in them as he was sure had been in his all day. He had not been able to rid her from his mind. Last night's passionate activities having made his blood continue to race throughout the day.

"I was following you." He answered her as he rounded his palm against her hip and flicked his eyes down the hall once more.

"You were?" it pleased him that her voice was breathless. "I hadn't noticed."

"I know. It confirms to me that having the guards here is the right decision." He moved his hand from her hip, sliding it down toward her backside enjoying her little gasp of surprise before he moved it back to her hip. "You need to pay more attention Cora … even though we are home, you are still not safe." He lowered his lips to her neck and barely grazed them across the porcelain skin there. He could feel her quiver beneath his lips and he closed his eyes in the pleasure of it. With deliberate slowness he moved his feather light kisses up the side of her throat, along her jaw line and hovered above her lips. He could hear her breathing had become more ragged, her chest heaving up and down mirroring his own.

"I feel safe now." She whispered against his lips as his came down to meet hers. His mouth covered hers in a soft caress that made her toes curl. She felt him begin to pull away and she tilted her head and threaded her arms around his neck pulling him to her as she slid her tongue into his mouth and deepened their kiss. She slipped her hands into the back of his hair enjoying the softness of his curls and the quality of his kiss. Being married for more than 3 decades had its advantages, and knowing how your spouse liked to be kissed was one of them. They had been practicing this kiss for decades, perfecting it, making it ideal in every way. By the time they pulled apart Cora felt a small little surge of pride that she had turned the tables just a bit on her smug husband who thought to surprise her.

"What was that?" he asked smoothing the back of his hair as he looked down the hallway once more. Still empty.

Cora pulled herself off the wall and slid her arm through her husbands as they began walking back towards her room.

"You are not the only one with surprises Robert. If you didn't like it …" she let her voice drop away on purpose as she stole a look at her husband. The smirk that came across his face made her body warm from the inside out.

"No no … please do not mistake my surprise as dislike … quite the contrary. I was merely expressing how you caught me off guard."

"Good" Cora replied after they had walked a few paces. "I should hate to be predictable."

Robert laughed and placed his free hand over hers linked through his arm. "You are most definitely not that my darling." Smiling she tightened her grip on his arm and leaned a little closer as they walked toward her room.

"I'm glad I caught you alone actually, there is something I wanted to talk to you about." Robert said as they reached her room and he opened the door for his wife. Stepping back he allowed her to enter first as she answered looking back over her shoulder.

"Oh? Sounds intriguing." She walked across to her chaise, removing her shoes and flopping down with an exhaustion she didn't realize she had been feeling.

"Not really, just a little housekeeping really. I've already spoken to the girls and nanny, but tracking you down has been rather a challenge today."

"I've been busy."

"Yes I know. The thing is, with the guards here and Patrick who knows where there are going to be some changes, for everyone's safety." Robert moved over to the window watching the light fade as the sun was setting in the distance. He walked across to turn the light on and moved back toward Cora who tilted her head towards him. He sat on the corner of the bed towards her and spoke.

"Not knowing where Patrick is or what he may do we are left with few choices … that said, You, Mary, Edith and the children will all have a personal guard with you at all times …"

"What?!" she interrupted him sitting up on the chaise, her eyes wide.

"Each of you will have a personal guard, then we will have 2 roaming the outside and 2 in the house, the other 4 will sleep and they will then rotate on a schedule so 8 are always awake and working."

"What do you mean at all times? This is ridiculous Robert really." Cora rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak again but Robert stood and spoke over her.

"No Cora, it is necessary, it is important and it is happening. I should think this would please you."

"Well it doesn't" she stood in a huff and placed her hands on her hips, "Having someone follow me about as if I am a child, as if being surrounded by family and servants won't protect me … this is beyond the pale Robert."

"No it isn't" he ground out through clenched teeth, "I would have thought you, having been through what you already have at the hands of that … that … insane monster would feel better, feel safer with a guard." Robert paced the floor, his hand rubbing his neck in frustration.

"Well it doesn't" she spat out, "it makes me feel strange, and ridiculous. I don't need that Robert, the house is safe, you are here …" she had reached out to him then, but he turned and the anger in his eyes was palpable as he spoke over her once more.

"It didn't matter last time! You weren't safe with me before, I couldn't keep you safe before and when I finally got you back you were bruised and bloody and had been through unimaginable things and I won't risk it again Cora … you can plead and beg and cry all you like. This is happening, and it would be best if you came to terms with it." With that he blew out a frustrated breath and walked out her door.

Cora stood in her room staring at the door her husband had walked out of with a look of confusion painting her face. What on earth had just happened? She thought they had been over the kidnapping and his guilt. She thought they had been over and over how he was not responsible, and now this. If she thought of it then she could see his point of view, but Downton was very different than the States. A stranger would be noticed immediately, the grounds staff and inside servants were loyal and the entire family was here. She could not see the danger. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she called out for the person to enter. It wouldn't be Robert, he wouldn't knock, probably Mary or Edith ready to complain about their guards as well.

"Excuse me My'Lady." Came the deep male voice as it opened the door slowly. A large man stood in her doorway. Tall and dark eyed with a crisp haircut and a deep brown coat. "My name is Simmons Lady Grantham, I am one of the guards assigned to your service."

"Oh … yes." Cora looked at the younger man and gave him a pleasant smile, despite her misgivings none of this was his fault. "Thank you Mr. Simmons … if there is anything you need during your stay with us please do not hesitate to ask."

"Actually My'Lady, there are a few things we need to discuss regarding your safety, and if I may I will need to take a look about your room to make sure I know what it should look like … should anything ever seem a bit off… it would be easier to tell."

"Oh … yes of course Mr. Simmons."

Cora silently cursed her husband and his demanding nature as she sat and answered questions of her new guard. What her usual schedule looked like, who should have access to her room, how often she went to the village, where she preferred to take walks, how late she slept, the rooms in the house she frequented … and so on and so forth for the next hour. By the time the dinner gong sounded she was exhausted and irritated. As she told Baxter she could leave and stood to smooth out her dinner dress the object of her irritation entered her room from their adjoining door.

"Cora" he said softly as she continued to review her reflection in her mirror and completely ignore her husband. "I am sorry I spoke to you the way I did … it was ill mannered and wrong, and you did not deserve it."

"You're right … I didn't." she said evenly as she adjusted her gloves. Several seconds passed before Robert spoke once more.

"I hope you can understand that I have only made the decisions I have in hopes of keeping you safe. I could not bear it if anything happened to you. The days you were taken were the worst kind of nightmare, I simply do not have the strength to go through that again. I can not lose you."

Cora let out a breath and turned to face him, laying on gloved hand against his chest. "And if you talk with me we can figure this out together, I am stronger than you think."

Robert pulled her hand from his chest and bought it to his lips for a kiss. "No Cora, you are stronger than even you think … it must come from your ruggard American upbringing." Cora swatted his arm as she laughed at his obvious jest.

Dinner had been a rather loud affair with extra guests, and footman manuavering around guards stationed at all corners. By the time they all went through Cora was ready to take to her bed. Edith felt the same and they both excused themselves and headed toward the stairs arm in arm, their guards in tow. She was just whispering to Edith how ridiculous personal guards was when she missed a step on the stairs as the light began to flicker.

"Goodness." She exclaimed as she righted herself with Edith's help. "What was that abou …" her words cut off as Edith exclaimed in surprise as their world turned to darkness, she felt the guards behind her move close enough to place a hand to each of their backs as a loud rustling could be heard down the corridor.

"Cora …" Robert's voice could be heard from the drawing room as the guards talked to each other and moved Cora and Edith down the stairs slowly.

The front door flew open emitting a faint amount of light from the outside as a guard came running in. The inhabitants of the drawing room came through the corridor slowly, feeling their way in the pitch black darkness.

"Cora?" Robert called frantically.

"I'm here Robert." She replied reaching out her hand towards the darkness.

"Frank? What the devil is it?" barked Simmons.

"Frank's not come in yet Simmons, it's me, Davey." Came the voice of the guard who had rushed inside.

"Where the hell is Frank?" Simmons cursed as the family groped about in the dark, arms reaching for each other.

"I don't know Simmons. He didn't answer my last calls to him at the half hour, then I started over to where he should have been and saw a movement to my blind side. I turned and didn't see nothing – then the lights went out."

"Mt'Lord … My 'Lord" Carson's voice came out of the darkness as he moved slowly towards the sounds of voices.

"Carson, get the footmen to light as many candles as they can and .." Robert began to instruct his butler before being interrupted by him.

"I'm sorry My'Lord. The candles are missing, I just had then look." Carson began.

"Oh God." Cora exclaimed, feeling bile rise up in her throat. All her talk of being strong and now as things started to appear that something was amiss she could feel the fear creeping in, the memories of her capture, the horror of those days. She gripped tightly to Robert's arm having found him in the darkness.

"What do you mean gone?" Robert asked in anger.

"They have been taken My'Lord, they are not in their usual locations, not any of them. The lights are gone too from what the hall boys tell me. Mr. Barrow just came in from checking on the lights and it appears they have been sabotaged … or what he can tell at least."

"Good Lord." Exclaimed Mary, "Papa, what should we do. Shall we call the police …"

Her voice was cut off at the sound of a blood curdling scream from up the stairs.

"What on earth was that?" Edith gasped clasping her hand around the arm of her guard.

"We are all here, no one else is …" Cora began.

"Oh God" Tom said as he pushed past everyone towards the stairs " … it's nanny."