This story is a gift for the wonderful and talented thank-god-and-you (on tumblr) as part of the batesessecretservice Banna Secret Santa 2018 exchange. Thank you for all your wonderful stories, you make the fandom so much nicer. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and that the new year will bring you many blessings and much joy. And a BIG BIG BIG HUGE thank you to annambates for the cover art!

I wasn't sure if I should break this story into two parts or keep it all as a one shot but then I came down with this nasty cold and the decision was pretty much made for me. Part two will be along in good time… until then, I hope you enjoy part one. :)

Anna Smith sat behind the large desk in her office, files and reports piled over every space available. She flipped through one particular stack with one hand as the other scrolled through the document on her computer. She didn't bother looking up at the knock at the door.

"I'm busy, Mary," she intoned, typing furiously. The door opened.

"You knew it was me?" Mary Crawley, her oldest and closest friend breezed in and sat down across from her, ignoring Anna's statement completely.

"Well, you are the only one that seems to interrupt me when I'm swamped with work," Anna replied, only looking up briefly before focusing on the computer again. "It's like you have some weird sixth sense about it."

"Someone has to save your from yourself. Someday we'll find you buried under paper, dead from starvation."

"Just because I cancelled lunch with you doesn't mean I didn't eat," Anna informed her. "Don't be so sore, there will be other days and other lunches. I need to get this report done before everyone leaves for the holidays."

"I'm not sore, it's just that I had something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yeah?" Anna tossed the file into a pile and rifled around her desk for another one.

"Matthew has this… thing."

Anna snorted and looked up. "I'm sure he does. Probably pretty proud of it, most men are." Mary glared.

"No, this sports thing, next Thursday. It's with his friends from uni and it's apparently a big deal and he wants me to go and watch. You need to come with me."

Anna began to laugh. "No, I don't."

"You have to! I can't sit there and watch by myself, who will I talk to? Please," Mary begged. Anna abandoned her work and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm not an idiot, Mary. I know what you're trying to do and I really wish you wouldn't."

"Whatever do you mean?" Mary feigned innocence, but relented at Anna's pointed stare. "Oh, fine. Most of his friends are not only single, they're good looking and successful. I'm offering you bachelor heaven, Anna, why won't you at least come and look over the goods?"

"I'm happy the way things are, thank you," Anna stated calmly. "I love my work and it keeps me quite busy. You need to stop doing this to me. I'm not interested."

"You think you're happy, Anna, but something is missing and you know it. When was the last time you had a date?"

"Let's see… ah, that would be the time you made me go out with the guy from Matthew's office."

"Sam was perfect for you," Mary lamented. "Very hot and Matthew says he's totally going to run the law firm some day."

"Yes, it was all Sam talked about," Anna muttered. "He was vapid and full of himself. I like Matthew, but whatever he and his friends are competing at next Thursday, I doubt it's a race to maturity. Before Sam, you fixed me up with Tony Gillingham."

"What was wrong with Tony?"

"I got a seriously bad vibe from him."

"You know, there's this guy that works for him… what?"

"No Tony and no one associated with Tony! Nothing good can ever come from knowing Tony!"

"Christ, Anna, calm down, I won't say his name again," Mary flinched. "Then what do you want if you don't want handsome, rich and eligible?"

Anna sighed. "I don't know exactly but I'm sure I'll know when he comes along. Maybe I'm waiting for someone that listens to me like I'm a person with interesting thoughts and opinions. Maybe I'm waiting for someone that appreciates that I'm independent and that I love my job, that won't judge me for it like I'm some kind of ball busting man hater? Maybe I want a man, a real man, not some gym rat that believes everything he has to offer a woman is in his abs and biceps. Besides, that kind is always high maintenance."

"Matthew works out, he isn't high maintenance," Mary argued.

"Well, you can't both be high maintenance or how would that work?"

"Very funny," Mary shot back. "I don't understand, Anna-"

"I know you don't," Anna cut her off, and then gave a tired sigh. "And that is why I beg you to stop trying to fix me up with Matthew's friends. Please. I know you mean well, but you just don't understand."

Mary let out a frustrated breath and stood up. "Very well, but I can't help myself. I care about you, Anna. I only want you to be happy."

"I know you do, but I'm ok. I'm very content."

"Content is not necessarily happy.."

"It's a kind of happy, and it's more than some people get in a lifetime," Anna shrugged and then turned back to her computer.. "Now get out of here. I've got work to do." Mary rolled her eyes, waving goodbye on her way out the door.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Maybe Mary and Matthew can go," Cora suggested, snuggling next her husband Robert and staring at the four tickets in her hand.

"Maybe Mary and and Matthew can go where?" Mary asked as she entered the room. She shrugged off her coat and tossed it onto the sofa before unceremoniously collapsing down next to it with a weary sigh.

"Your father just gave me tickets for the ballet," she answered excitedly, waving them in the air toward her daughter. "The Nutcracker! There's an extra pair, can you join us? It's next Thursday."

"I wish," Mary whined. "Matthew has a thing." Robert snickered. "A sports thing! Why are people suddenly so immature?!"

"Sorry," he mumbled before turning back to Cora. "Surely we can think of another couple, just… please, not the Durnleys. They are so depressing."

"Maybe this would cheer them up," Cora suggested before snapping her fingers with another idea. "Is John Bates seeing anyone? Maybe he'd like to go. You two hardly ever get to hang out."

Robert shook his head. "The man spends all his time at work or at home watching television. Hardly surprising, the divorce knocked the wind out of him. Still, it's been two years and I hate seeing him so lonely. Maybe I should try and help him meet someone."

"You want to play matchmaker?" Cora laughed incredulously. "I doubt he would thank you for it."

"Why not? I'm his friend, I want him to be happy," Robert reasoned. "Come on, surely one of your divorced friends is looking to meet someone nice who would treat them well."

"Mama's friends don't want someone to treat them well as much as they want someone to treat them to the Ritz," Mary interjected. "Poor Uncle John, he'd be eaten alive."

"Well," Cora hummed, thinking harder. "What about my friend Sarah?"

"O'Brien?!" Robert and Mary cried at the same time.

"I wouldn't do that to my worst enemy," Robert muttered.

"Really, Mama! That would like setting him up with his ex-wife!"

"I think you're both being very unkind," Cora defended. "Sarah isn't anything like Vera."

"She's exactly like Vera!" Robert muttered, exasperated. "After everything that woman put him through, we should find someone for him that is the opposite of Vera in every way."

"Fine, whatever you say. I still don't think it's a good idea, meddling with people lives like that," Cora replied, her tone doubtful.

"He's my friend and I want-"

"You want him to be happy, I know." Cora rolled her eyes. "Mary, you agree with me, don't you?"

"No, I don't think I do," Mary replied. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to help. I asked Anna to come with me next week so I can introduce her to some of Matthew's single friends. You would have thought I was trying to sell her at auction the way she reacted!"

"You can't just throw people together! Only they know what they want and do not want."

"Anna made it quite clear what she doesn't want," Mary mumbled. "Apparently she is more interested in the strong and silent, good listener type."

"Strong silent type… sounds like John Bates," Cora chuckled as she stood up and yawned. "Maybe you should fix Anna up with him." She leaned down and gave her husband a kiss on the top of his head. "I'm going up to bed." She nodded at her daughter as she headed toward the door. "Good night, Mary."

But Robert and Mary barely noticed her leave.

"I know she was kidding, but...," Mary said, mulling over the idea carefully. "Uncle John is the opposite of every guy I've introduced her to before now."

Robert matched her surprised tone. " And Anna is nothing like Vera. She's young and beautiful and good hearted… I don't believe I'm saying this but I think your mother nailed it."

They stared at each other for a while before Mary grinned and said, "So? Should we do it? Should we set them up and see if we're right?" Robert smiled back.

"I think we owe it to them."

oOoOoOoOoOo

"You did what?" John laughed as he handed money to the barista and took his coffee. "You're joking with me."

"No, I'm not joking," Robert said matter of factly they headed out of the coffee shop. "Tonight, seven o'clock, The Dog and Duck. Just for drinks to get acquainted. The rest is up to you."

"Forget it," John said, shaking his head and still laughing.

"She'll be there waiting," his friend replied, looking up and down the street and waving as a cab came into view. "You wouldn't want to be rude and not show up."

"Rob," John said, realizing his friend was serious and about to bail on him before he could do anything about it. Robert stepped off the curb and leaned to get in the opened taxi. "Robert! You better tell her it's off, mate. I'm not doing it!"

Robert hopped in and pulled the door shut quickly. The window lowered and Robert smiled. "I'll do no such thing, you are going. Look, she's a dear friend of the family, known her for years. Besides, she's better than anyone you'd meet on your own and you'll thank me tomorrow."

"Rob…"

"Sorry, John, must book. Enjoy your evening," he grinned, waving as the window went up and the cab pulled away.

"WAIT!" John hollered, but it was too late. He let out a frustrated groan and grabbed his phone, calling Robert quickly. It went straight to voicemail. "Not cool, Rob, very not cool! You didn't even tell me her name! How am I supposed to… that's it, this friendship is over. Done. You are dead to me." He ended the call and rolled his eyes to the sky.

He couldn't understand what would possess his friend to do this to him. It had to be some kind of joke. Years ago they were relentless when it came to pulling pranks on each other, but those typically involved air horns or 'slap me' signs. Their love lives were strictly off limits, mostly because neither of them had a wife that would be all that amused.

Only, he didn't have a wife now so maybe it was fair game. No, he thought, of all people, Robert Crawley knew he was still too sore to joke about a thing like a fake set up. When he was at his lowest point after his divorce, Robert was constantly reassuring him that he wasn't done with life, that someone was out there waiting for him to find her. If anything, Robert was determined that he get out more so he could meet someone and...

Oh, god, John thought with a grimace, this isn't joke.

He started to walk toward his office, working his phone with one hand and trying to hold on to his coffee and cane in the other. He called Robert again, but just as before, it went to voicemail. He was doing it on purpose, John grumbled to himself, and he thinks it will force me to go and meet this woman.

"I'm a man of free will," he said aloud, not caring if anyone gave him looks for it. He wouldn't go and that was all there was to it. He continued to march as fast as his annoyance and limp would allow until he reached his office building and made his way inside.

John tried to focus on work for the rest of the afternoon but his mind kept thinking about seven o'clock and where he was expected to be. He didn't even know where to start with his feelings about what his friend had done to him. For starters he couldn't remember the last time he had any kind of date, never mind one of a nerve wracking first date variety. He and Vera had met running in the same circle and somehow fallen in with each other in time. He didn't know what he wanted back then, but Vera sure did and he was stupid enough to let her figure it all out for him. What a mess that had turned out to be.

It was only recently that he could think back on it all without sadness and grief. Shouldn't he heal more? Is it fair to drag some poor woman into his life at this stage of his misery? Then again, maybe that's what they'd have in common. Robert gave him very little information about this person, not even her name. All he said was that she was an old friend of the family, most likely one of Cora's friends, probably also divorced and desperate enough to agree to this insanity.

He tried to remember if he had met any of Cora's friends since he moved back to England and reconnected with Rob and Cora, and he could only come up with one name and face. The very thought had him scrambling to his phone again.

"You twisted little man," he hissed once the voice message finished. "You probably set me up with O'Brien, didn't you? Call me back, Robert!"

An hour later, he called again and tried a different tactic; "Come on, Rob, I can't. I'm not ready to see anyone, really, I'm not. I'm just getting back on my feet after Vera. I'm begging you, call me back."

And then again right before leaving; "I know you're getting these messages, so listen hard and listen good: I'm. Not. Going. If she gets mad because I don't show, it'll be on your head, you hear me? Damn it, why won't you answer your phone?!" He ended the call with a heavy sigh. He knew exactly why he wasn't answering his calls. Because John Bates was a nice guy and for all his protests and threats to stay away, Robert knew he couldn't possibly let a woman sit alone in a bar waiting for him.

John checked the time on his phone and groaned. He didn't have enough time to go home and change clothes. With the last bit of his resolve quickly fading, he left his office and headed toward The Dog and Duck.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Anna made her way down the street toward the familiar pub. She checked her watch, exhaled and against her better judgement, she entered The Dog and Duck. She was early.

She scanned the small crowd, hoping the man she was supposed to meet would at least know what she looked like since she hadn't a single clue about him. Mary had been vague on that score. Actually, Mary had been a lot of things when she agreed to do this. Pushy and relentless, to name a couple.

"You have to go," Mary said firmly. "He has already agreed to meet you. It's all set, you have no choice." Anna dropped her head into her hands and groaned.

"So when I begged you not to do this sort of thing, you heard, 'Please, Mary, please butt into my personal life and if you could make it as awkward and humiliating as possible, that would be great!'"

"I heard you," Mary insisted. "Loud and clear. And you'll see how well I listened when you meet him and see he's nothing like the others I introduced to you."

"But that's not-"

"This is the last time, I promise. If you go tonight, I will never try to fix you up with another man."

Anna scoffed. "You can't make that kind of promise, you will always find an excuse to interfere."

"I mean it," Mary repeated. "This is the last time. That's how confident I am that this is the right one." They stared at each other for what seemed like forever until Anna finally blinked.

"Fine," she grinded out between her teeth. "But let's be clear, I am only going so I can put an end to this happening again in the future." Mary shook her head.

"That's hardly the right attitude."

"Look, Mary, I have agreed to do this. If I were you I would leave before I change my mind!"

Mary stood up from the chair across Anna's desk, holding up a hand in surrender. "Right. Seven o'clock, The Dog and Duck, don't be late." She turned and walked through the door when Anna had a sudden thought and jumped up after her.

"Mary, wait, I don't even know his name!" she cried down the hall.

"John," Mary hollered over her shoulder right as she started to turn down another corridor. "Have fun!"

No one looked up when she entered. In fact, everyone there seemed involved in their own conversations. She could only conclude that this man, this John person, had yet to arrive. She spotted an empty booth tucked against the back wall and slid her case and handbag into the seat facing the rest of the place before taking off her coat and sitting down. She checked her watch again and sighed. She sat back and began the wait.

"Hello," a busy waitress welcomed her after a few minutes. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Actually, I'm waiting for someone," Anna explained, feeling nerves start to jump in her stomach. "I'll just wait for my…" My what? she panicked. She didn't exactly want to admit to being forced on this blind date to a perfect stranger. "... my, uh, friend." She swallowed hard.

"Suit yourself," the woman had barely looked at her as she moved quickly to another group of eager patrons. She watched the crowd again. There was a guy laughing with the bartender. He didn't look familiar but he was Matthew's age so she waited for him to turn and make eye contact. Instead, he took the two pints the bartender served and carried them to a table full of friends, handing one to a pretty girl that smiled as she took the drink.

Ok, not him.

She rested her chin in her hand as she kept watching. The door opened and a handsome professional looking guy walked in and stopped, his eyes searching over the room. Anna sat up and started to wave, but then two women come in right behind him. He pointed at an empty table and the three of them made their way through the crown toward it. She fell against the back of the booth and covered her face with her hands and laughed. That could have been embarrassing.

Screw it, she thought as she pulled some files out of her work case and flopped them on the table. She would better use the time getting some work done while she waited. Let him make the first move, she decided as she opened the first folder. Soon her mind was focused on numbers and data reports and she forgot to keep and eye out for Mary's mysterious stranger.

oOoOoOoOoOo

John entered the pub and carefully glanced around for any face that was even slightly familiar. All he saw were people having a nice time and paying him no mind. In fact, it seemed everyone was there with someone. The only exception, he noticed, was a young blonde sitting in a booth opening her laptop, surrounded by paperwork and looking too busy to be expecting anyone. He took a deep breath, hooked his cane on the edge of the bar and settled on one of the stools.

"What can I get for you?" John's eyes ran over the bottles neatly lined up behind the bartender longingly before quickly ordering a club soda. He ignored the other man's expression and turned to look around again.

It was a nice establishment, festively decked for the holidays, rustic and welcoming. Still, it didn't exactly seem like the kind of place Cora or any of her friends would frequent. Robert was always talking about the time and money his wife spent at spas with her friends and at trendy eateries catering to their latest dietary fancies. Why Robert and Cora thought he would have anything in common with a woman like that was a mystery.

With that thought, the feeling that this was a huge mistake returned. Moving back to England had been a chance for a new start, to keep his head down and just maybe contribute in some small way, to put something good back into the universe after wasting so much time screwing up. And it was a new start, all the way back to square one. He liked his job enough but he was sure it wouldn't impress the high society type. He certainly didn't have the kind of money that would impress her. He could hear Cora roping her friend into agreeing to this date. Oh, but he's such a nice guy! Being nice can only get you so far. Or absolutely nowhere, if the demise of his marriage was anything to go by.

He turned when the door opened and a nice looking woman in her middle age rushed in as though she was late. This must be her, he thought to himself. Their eyes met and she gave him a big smile. He started to stand up to greet her when she pointed at him.

"Having a good night, love? Need a refill? Be with you in a sec," she said quickly and out of breath. He watched her throw her coat on a hook near the door and then duck behind the bar, grabbing an apron and tying it quickly around her waist. She ran her fingers through her hair, took a deep breath and smiled again. "So what can I get you?"

"You work here," he chuckled, more to himself. "Uh, I'm all set, thank you." But she was pulled into an argument with the bartender about the start time of her shift and barely heard him. He gave the room another look before blowing out a slow breath and returning to his club soda.

He slid his cane closer to make room for someone trying to sit down on the stool beside him as the place started to fill up. Just then the young women he noticed pouring over work reports stepped up to the bar.

"Excuse me," she called to the bartender who as laughing with a small group at the other end of the counter. "Excuse me!" The young man finally looked over his shoulder and made his way slowly toward her.

"Yes?"

"Glass of white wine, please," she asked, sliding some money across to him. He nodded and began to walk away. "Oh! And the... " But he was out of earshot. "... wifi password." She sighed.

"Try 'guest wifi'," John offered, unable to stop himself from overhearing.

"What?"

"It's probably something obvious like, 'guest wifi'," he repeated. "It usually is."

"It's not very clever."

"Well, it's just a suggestion," he answered, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I should just mind my own business." To his relief, she shook her head and gave him a small grin. The bartender returned with her wine.

"Can you tell me the wifi password," she asked again as she slid the glass closer.

"Oh, uh, yeah. It's 'guest wifi'." He tapped the bar and raised his eyebrows as if to ask if there was anything else before he returned to the rowdy crowd ordering drinks. The woman turned toward John with a surprised but amused expression.

"It was a lucky guess," John smiled. "Really."

"You should play the lottery," she laughed as she lifted her drink and started back toward her table. Just then, someone bumped her from the other side. Half her drink sloshed out of the glass and on to John. "Oh, god! I'm so sorry!" She grabbed a few cocktail napkins and began to dab at the spill on his arm. John raised his hand to stop her.

"It wasn't your fault," he said, taking the napkins from her and wiping at the bar and the drops of wine on his pants. "And no real harm done."

"Oh, but-"

"Really, it's fine," he said again. "You should get another drink, though, since I'm wearing half of it." He started to wave the bartender back when she stopped him.

"Oh, no, this is fine. I only ordered it because I'm taking up a table over there." They looked at each other for an awkward few moments before she apologized again.

"Please don't think anything about it," John insisted, handing her a couple more napkins.. "No harm, no foul. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

The woman gave a wry laugh as if the likelihood of her doing so was impossible, but then she smiled at him. "You're very kind. I hope you have a good night, too." She accepted the napkins and took her drink back to the table. John watched her walk away before checking his watch and searching the crowd once again with a frown. He turned back to his drink and closed his tired eyes.

If only Robert had at least told him what this mystery woman looked like.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Anna hit send on the last email and started to shut down her laptop. She checked her watch as she drained the last of the wine in her glass, nearly choking when she saw how long she had been there. Nearly an hour had passed since she was supposed to meet her blind date. John Whatever-his-name-is never showed up. She watched as a few people headed toward the door and then her eye caught as the man from earlier, the one she splashed wine all over, stood up and headed toward the bathrooms. Her eyes followed him long enough to note that he walked with a cane. It gave him a bit of a swagger that she had to admit was quite appealing.

"Well, this was a waste of time," she muttered, pulling out her phone. She scrolled a bit and tapped Mary's face with a bit of frustration, drumming her fingers on the table while she waited for her friend to answer.

"Anna!" the voice sang from the other end. "Is it over already? Tell me how it went!"

"Over?" Anna barked with a short laugh. "It never even got started! He never showed up."

"What?! I don't believe you," Mary said evenly. "He was definitely going to be there. You must have gone to the wrong place." Anna hadn't considered that possibility but shook her head.

"I'm at The Dog and Duck," she replied. "I've been here since before seven o'clock. If he came, he decided he didn't want to stay and say hello."

"Something must have happened," Mary insisted, a bit of worry in her voice. "Uncle John would never-"

"Hold up," Anna cut in. "Uncle John?"

"Yes," Mary answered matter of factly, thinking Anna was a bit confused. "He's a very considerate person, he would never leave anyone waiting for him, he's just not-"

"No, no. Go back. Why did you call him Uncle John?"

"I've always called him that," Mary said like it was a silly question. "I mean, he's not really my uncle, but I've known him half my life."

Anna's face scrunched in confusion as she tried to absorb this new information. "I don't understand what you're saying. You've known Matthew's friend half your life and so you call him Uncle John?"

"He's not Matthew's friend, he's Papa's friend," Mary said, then added sarcastically. "Why on earth would I call Matthew's friend Uncle anything? And why would you think he was Matthew's friend?"

"Why would I think it was your father's friend?!" Anna yelled into the phone, drawing the attention of a few people sitting nearby. She lowered her voice. "Really, Mary! All you told me was that he was named John! Don't you think it would have been helpful to tell me to expect someone a little older than all the other men you've flung at me?"

"I've never flung anyone in my life," Mary shot back. "And I did tell you he was nothing like the others. It's not my fault you didn't believe me."

Anna groaned and dropped her head into her hand. "It still would have been useful information. I don't suppose there is anything else about him that would have helped me pick him out of a crowded pub?"

"No, not really," Mary said, thinking. "Oh, well, I mean… he walks with a cane."

Anna nearly dropped the phone.

oOoOoOoOoOo

John paced the men's room waiting for Robert to answer his phone.

"John! How'd it go? Are you calling to thank me? You're welcome."

"No, Robert, I'm calling to tell you she never came," he sighed.

"What? I can't believe it, Anna wouldn't do that. There must have been a misunderstanding. Maybe you went to the wrong place."

"Oh, her name is Anna, is it?" John huffed. "It would have been nice to know that."

"Didn't I say?"

"No, you didn't. And I'm at The Dog and Duck," John went on. "I've been here for the last hour. Look, I know you meant well but… I'm going home."

"No, let me give her a call and see where she is," Robert implored. "Maybe something happened and she's only now on her way."

"No, please don't. I do appreciate what you tried to do, truly. But perhaps it was for the best this time," John said wearily. He was feeling more than tired and drained, though. He was disappointed. He knew that somewhere deep down he had hoped that the evening might have gone differently. Deep down he did want to meet someone nice, even if it never went beyond friendship and conversation. And deep down, he knew Robert was right and he was tired of being alone.

"Just let me give her a call, see what happened," Robert begged.

"No, no, just tell Cora I'm sorry," he replied. There was a strange pause at the other end of the line.

"Cora? Why do I have to tell Cora you're sorry?"

"Because I'm sure she went to some trouble to make her friend agree to meet me," he wearily explained. "I just don't want her to think I didn't try."

"Cora's friend? Oh, I see," Robert started to laugh. "You've got the wrong end of the stick, mate. Anna isn't Cora's friend. She's a friend of Mary."

"What?!" John froze. "But you said she was an old friend of the family!"

"Oh, well, she is," Robert agreed, still snickering. "They were school friends. Anna spent a lot of time here when the girls were growing up. I didn't mean she was old old."

John looked up at himself in the mirror. "So she is Mary's age, not…"

"Age is only a number, John," Robert chided. "She was always older than her years, ever since I've known her. She's sweet and kind hearted, and I think she would appreciate the kind of sincere and noble guy I know you to be."

"What does she look like?"

"Don't be so shallow, John. Women are more than their physical beauty, you know."

"No, you idiot, how the hell am I supposed to know if she's here if I don't know what she looks like?" John was ready to throw his phone against the wall.

"Oh, right. I see what you mean," Robert cleared his throat. "She's petite, long blonde hair. Blue eyes, lovely smile-"

"I've got to go," John said quickly, not even bothering to wait for his friend's reply. He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. It had to be the woman in the booth, the one who spilled her wine.

He left the men's bathroom and slowly made his way to the booth, glad she was still there. When he reached the table, he saw that she was on her phone. He held his breath when she looked at his cane and then his eyes. Her face broke out in the brightest smile he had ever seen. She was just as lovely as Robert described her.

"Anna?"

"John?" He nodded and she smiled again. He felt his heart stop for a beat. She slipped her phone into her bag and gestured for him to sit. "I've been sitting here all night expecting someone completely different."

"I'm not sure how it happened," John said. "I had no idea you'd be so, uh… I mean, I thought that you'd be…" He stopped, suddenly panicking that he would offend her. "What I mean to say is that Robert didn't even tell me your name and I just figured that was because he didn't want me to know which of Cora's friends he arranged to meet me."

"Mary was a bit stingy with details about you, too," Anna said, gesturing about in frustration. "I mean, what did they expect for us to do, stand on a table and yell?"

"It's actually not our fault," John agreed.

"Not at all!" Anna nodded with a mock serious expression.

"They aren't very good at this, are they?" John continued the rant but then Anna's lips twisted in a smile.

"I dunno," she reasoned, resting her arms on the table and leaning toward him. "I'm inclined to think they might be very good at this." John swallowed hard, his mouth twitching into a small grin.

"I see what you mean," he answered, then he shook his head. "I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you are the woman I was sent to meet." Anna giggled.

"I hope the surprise was a pleasant one," she answered, a slight tease to her voice. "Although I wouldn't have blamed you for running out the door once you knew, after all I did spill wine on you earlier."

"I don't really run much these days," he nodded toward the cane resting on the edge of the table. "So I really wouldn't have gone very far."

"Oh, god, that was such a stupid thing to say!"

"Just a figure of speech. Totally harmless, I'm sure," he soothed. "But since we're talking about reasons to flee, I'm surprised my bum leg didn't give you pause."

"On the contrary," she asserted brightly, recalling the confident stride she witnessed as he crossed the pub earlier. "You have a very nice…" She stopped. Who are you, Anna May, and what is coming out of your mouth?She blushed when she noticed he was eagerly waiting for her to finish her sentence. She cleared her throat. "... strut."

John shook with silent laughter but she knew he wasn't making fun of her. "Thank you. Thank you very much for noticing. I've worked hard to get the right amount of, uh, panache." Anna joined in the laughter until they both stared silently at the other.

"I suppose it's late," she looked at her watch again. "I won't hold you here if you were planning to go." Anna couldn't help regret the thought of this being over before it really had a proper chance to get started. John secretly thrilled at the disappointment on her face.

"I'd like to stay if you would."

"I would," Anna smiled again. John marveled that the prospect of spending time with him could elicit such a response from anyone, nevermind the beautiful girl sitting across from him. "Should we start with the usual line of questions or jump to the more interesting ones?"

"I'll let you start so you decide."

"How do you know Robert and why haven't I heard about Uncle John until now?"

"Ah, yes," John drew out slowly. "Robert and I met in our army days. Best friend a guy could have, really, he stood up for me at my wedding," He looked stricken at what he had just revealed. "I'm divorced, just so you know. We lost touch for a while when I went to live near my ex-wife's family in Ireland but after the divorce I moved here. He's been trying to help get over the whole miserable ordeal."

"I'm sorry," Anna said sympathetically. "It must have been painful."

"Not so much the break up of the marriage as the process of making it official," John confessed. He stopped for a second and sighed. "I'm sorry, Anna, probably not exactly what you wanted to learn about me."

"John, I like you," she said kindly and sincerely. "I think you must be a very decent man if Robert's loyalty is something to go by. Robert fiercely values the good people in his life and for now that is good enough for me."

"He certainly values you." John watched her with a soft expression.

"Robert and Cora have been amazingly good to me. Their house was a haven for me whenever it became difficult at home. So you see, Mr. Bates," she gave him a long look. "Everyone's past can be unpleasant. The thing we must do is judge the present and look to the future. The past is simply the path we took to get here."

John crossed his arms and leaned them on the table. "He did say you were wise beyond your years. But I don't want to avoid the past completely. I'm sure you have a few good stories about Mary and I want to hear them all." Anna gasped and clutched a hand to her chest.

"You want me to dish on my very best friend?" John nodded slowly, the deep lines at the corners his eyes making them twinkle.

"Cool," she giggled again, waving at the waitress. "But I'll need more wine."

oOoOoOoOoOo

John's mouth dropped open. "You carried him the entire way?"

"Well, dragged him most of it, actually. He weighed a ton." Anna chuckled. "He woke up in the middle of the student quad. At least we left him covered."

"What happened to him?"

"Nothing," Anna sighed. "But that's the beauty of diplomatic immunity. Fortunately for Mary, he drank enough that he couldn't remember any of it."

John shook his head in awe. "You are a very loyal friend."

"I'm sure you've done things for Robert to prove the same," she shrugged, her eyes wide when he shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "What? You haven't buried a body or anything have you?"

"No, nothing like that," John shook his head and unconsciously stretched his leg. He didn't like to talk about his injury or what they went through when it happened.

"Oh," Anna said quietly, quickly understanding. "Your leg?"

"It was a job and that's all. It could have easily been someone else. It could have been Rob. But I'm glad it wasn't. He had so much more to live for than I did." He shifted again, looking around before his eyes settled on her again. She stared back, but there was no pity.

"Please don't say things like that," Anna pleaded. "As if you don't matter. You matter a great deal to many people. I truly believe that."

"That's awfully nice of you to say," he answered quietly. He exhaled as he observed her. "I'm sorry but I have to ask, how is it you aren't already with someone? You're beautiful, intelligent, kind, beautiful, funny…"

Anna giggled. "You said beautiful twice."

"Did I? It must be true then."

"Charmer," Anna rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm not perfect, Mr. Bates. I have been accused of being a workaholic but I make no apologies for that. I have worked very hard to be where I am. I have taken care of myself for a long time so I'm also very independent. These things have cost me on the social side. Most guys will tell me they admire those things but in reality expect me to turn it off for them. And I won't"

"Nor should you. I like strong women." John winced as soon as the words left his mouth. "Jeez, what a line."

"Only if it isn't true," Anna chuckled. They said nothing for a few moments until John smiled and shook his head as if giving up on a riddle. "What?"

"I don't know," he said, his voice low and soft. "There's just something about you." Anna ducked her head before looking up with a wide smile.

"And there's something about you, Mr. Bates," she answered. "There's just something about you.

John was about to say something in reply when the waitress passed by their table.

"Sorry, we're closing," she informed them. "You know what they say, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here."

"What time is it?!" John marveled as she walked away. "I hate to think about how long it's been since I closed down a bar." He reached for his cane. "Can I walk you to your car?"

"I don't live far so I came by foot."

"Then let me walk you home," John said as they stood up and made their way to the door. "That way I can spend a little more time with you."

Anna felt her breath catch. "I'd like that, but are you sure?" She gestured toward his cane.

"It's not a big deal, just a little bit of shrapnel they couldn't remove. It acts up every once in a while. But I can manage."

"Of course you can," Anna replied softly. "And it is a very big deal." She cleared her throat and led him up the pavement toward her flat. "I can't believe we've been talking so late. I had a lovely time, John, and I'm glad I finally figured out it was you. What a breath of fresh air you turned out to be."

"Really?" John smiled as they fell in step. He offered his arm, and Anna grinned as she threaded her hand through the crook of his elbow. "That doesn't really speak well of the other men Mary must have tried to fix you up with until I was all that was left."

"Does it? I'm not sure I even remember any of them," she half-joked. "Maybe I've been waiting for something better. I'm a very patient person, you should know." They walked on in companionable silence for a while. "I can tell you one thing, I won't hear the end of it when I tell Mary we hit it off. And she will use it as an excuse to keep meddling in my life."

"She's her father's daughter," John moaned. "Robert will be so smug. He already told me I'll thank him in the morning."

"Will you?" Anna blushed. John stopped walking and turned to face her. He released her arm and took her hand in his, running his thumb over her fingers.

"I'll be very grateful," John assured her. "I want you know that this has been a real pleasure, Anna Smith." She smiled. He sighed and replaced her hand through his arm and they started to walk on. "And I guess I want Robert to know it, too. It's just that he'll be so…"

"Smug, I know," Anna finished for him. She looked up and stopped walking and pointed at a building. "Here's me." John observed the place, stalling for a little more time with her. Anna for her part didn't seem eager to go inside. Instead she turned to him. "What if…," she began, chewing on her lip in concentration. John waited for her to go on. "What if we made them sweat it out before we told them. Fight fire with fire."

"What do you mean?" John watched Anna's eyes spark with mischief and listened as she proceeded to explain her idea to turn the tables, both impressed and amused by her audacity. "You naughty girl."

"It'll teach them to keep their noses out of it because you know they are going to think they can say and do whatever they want to us from now on." The implication of her words hung between them. Anna could feel heat rising in her cheeks.

"I like the sound of there being an 'us'." He took out his phone. "Maybe we should exchange numbers, though, just to make it easier." Once that was accomplished, they stood facing each other, neither making a move to end the evening.

"I guess I should go in," Anna said with some regret.

"You should, it's getting colder," he said with some concern. "It feels like it might snow." No sooner had he said the words, a few snowflakes appeared and swirled in the air between them. Anna gasped.

"You definitely should play the lottery," she laughed.

"I should. I believe this has been the luckiest day of my life." He reached out for her hand. "Thank you for a great evening." Anna gave his hand a squeeze, before smiling shyly.

"Please call me. I really would like to see you again."

"I will," he promised. "Definitely." John went to release her hand, but she held on tighter, placing her other hand on his chest and rising on her toes. Before he knew what to say or do, she had kissed him gently on the cheek, lingering a second or two before bidding him goodnight and hurrying toward her flat.

"Don't forget!" she said, turning one last time before vanishing from sight. "When Robert calls you in the morning, don't forget what to say!"

John watched her disappear inside, the snow swirling in the lamplight. His whole being warmed from where she kissed him on his cheek. As he made his way home, he wondered how such an innocent gesture could make him feel so good.

TBC...