A/N: Hello readers! Here is my first attempt at a Mary Poppins fanfic that I've been dying to try. If you know me from my Kingdom Keepers fanfic, thanks for trying me out again! If not, I do hope you will enjoy the story about to unfold here that has been in the back of my brain waiting to escape. I'd like to add a little note or two before you begin. If you've read the books, then you will understand that this fic is set during one of Mary's reoccurring departures and returns to the Banks family. However, I lean more heavily on her character, so to speak, of the movie and the musical. This will get rather Mary/Bert, but in a fun and exciting way! (As in romantic, not cheesy, I hope, or dirty). Enough of my chatter though, just read it for yourself. Please review, I do pay attention to criticism and welcome it gladly! (Praise is nice too though). :)

"Mary Poppins? Mary Poppins? Mary Poppins!" Jane eventually shouted at the trim and tall figure walking beside her.

"What? Oh I'm sorry Jane. Yes?" Mary asked.

"I was just wondering if you were alright, you looked sort of funny," Jane said.

"I? Look funny? Really, Jane," Mary sniffed.

Jane smiled at Michael, he smiling back at her. That was the Mary Poppins they knew. As they walked through the park with her, they were relieved now she had come out of her strange revelry that had plagued her since they left the nursery that afternoon. They had never seen her act this way before, and it had been slightly unnerving.

"Sorry Mary Poppins," Jane mumbled back at Mary Poppins. The group finally settled on a park bench. They had finished their errands for the day, and had decided to come to the park, as Mrs. Banks was at a rally again, and Mr. Banks would not be home for several hours.

Mary sighed as she sat down between Jane and Michael, sinking back into her thoughts before Jane had so abruptly pulled her out of them. That's funny, she thought. I've never had this problem before, how could I have ignored Jane like that? How long had I been troubling them? This really is unbecoming. I just can't seem to stop thinking about…well it must stop. The children have already noticed, soon Mr. and Mrs. Banks will too. I feel like I'm in a daze. Odd, I am never ill. Maybe this is what it's really supposed to feel like? Perhaps I should speak with Uncle Albert…

Mary was once again shaken out of her thoughts as she heard Jane and Michael shouting over a large stick they had found in the park.

"I want it to play pirates!" Michael shouted.

"I found it first Michael, it's mine!" Jane shouted back.

"Jane! Michael! Please stop your quarrelling right this instant. It's time to go home," Mary Poppins said as she grabbed both children by the arm to lead them back to Cherry Tree Lane.

Mary and the children entered the Banks home to find Mrs. Banks putting away her suffragette paraphernalia.

"Afternoon mum," Mary Poppins said as they entered the house.

"Oh! Mary Poppins! Hello children, how was your outing?" Mrs. Bank asked.

"Fine," Jane and Michael mumbled together. Mary noticed the apathy and disappointment in their voices, and silently berated herself for being so distant the entire day.

"Mary Poppins our rally was so wonderful! We stood outside the Lord Mayor's house with our signs handing pamphlets to everyone who passed by. I think the Mayor was quite fed up with use by the end of it. That'll teach him. Men just never seem to be very understanding, do they Mary Poppins?" Mrs. Banks asked as she finished cleaning up. She turned to look at Mary for her answer.

"Well I wouldn't know mum. I'm not really sure," Mary Poppins said. And it was true, she wasn't sure. In fact, Mrs. Banks had unintentionally brought up the concern Mary had been thinking about all day…

"Spit spot children. It's nearly time for tea," Mary said, trying to avoid having to continue the awkward conversation with Mrs. Banks.

The next day was Mary's day off, and she decided that she would make use of it by going to Uncle Albert's house. It wasn't very often that Mary found herself in a predicament, or not knowing how to get out of one, but on those rare occasions that she did, Uncle Albert was always the one to help her out. As she walked briskly towards her uncle's house, she found herself deep in concentration once again. You knew this would be difficult. You've always known that. Of course, I didn't expect to…well I'd always been independent. I never needed anything more. It may not even work out, and you're going to have to be ready for that. Maybe you should just forget the whole thing, right now. Oh but I can't forget about it. I can't stop thinking about it. I can't stop thinking about him. What's wrong with me?

Mary quickly found herself at her uncle's door, and proceeded to ring the bell. After a short pause, Uncle Albert answered the door.

"Well if it isn't Mary Poppins! Come in, come in my dear!" Uncle Albert boomed. "Sit my dear, have some tea. And to what do I owe this great pleasure of seeing you today?"

"Thank you Uncle Albert. Well, I've come for some advice, if you will. I'd like your opinion on some matters," Mary began tentatively, a look of concern on her face.

"Of course my dear!" Uncle Albert answered. He had been so busy arranging himself and the tea, he hadn't noticed the look on Mary's face. Only after sitting down with a sigh and a sip of tea did he look up to see Mary clearly. "Oh goodness," he said. "This is quite serious, isn't it my dear?"

Mary flushed an even rosier red than usual, and looked at her shiny black shoes. "Please try to understand Uncle Albert, I never would have…if I knew this would happen…" Mary tried and failed to collect her thoughts and convey them to Uncle Albert. She knew he would never think less of her, but she still felt terribly embarrassed by her predicament. After a long pause, she continued.

"I think I'm in love," she stated simply as she flushed an even brighter shade of red than before. This time though, she did not look at the floor, but directly at Uncle Albert's face, searching for an answer. He said nothing.

"I mean, that's what I think. I'm not really sure. In fact, I have no idea. I just can't stop thinking about him, and there's this sort of…warmth, in his presence. I think he feels the same way, but I don't know. I'm not really sure what to do Uncle Albert. I feel so funny inside, and it's not magic," she stammered.

"Love is magic my dear," Uncle Albert finally replied. "Magic of the greatest kind, and greater than any you possess yourself. My dear, if you really feel this way, there's no use in hiding it. I'm sure the Banks have already noticed. Everyone can tell when someone's in love my dear. And there's no shame in that. As for telling if he feels the same way, there's only one way to do that."

"I know Uncle, it's just that…what if he doesn't feel the same way? Besides, I'm…different. I mean, I never imagined myself falling in love, but now that I have, how can someone love me and my…abilities? How can he…understand me?" Mary asked, clearly getting down the core of her concerns of late.

"That's all part of it my dear. Do not look at your abilities as not being understandable. If you profess your love, and he his, then there's no reason why, if he is being true, would love you heart and soul, for who and what you are? That, my dear, is truly love. There's nothing left now but to do it," Uncle Albert said with a smile.

Mary sighed, clearly relieved at talking to someone and finally getting her concerns off her chest. It hadn't really helped matters though, and she had no idea how she would proceed. Mary rose from her chair and prepared to leave, she still had the rest of her day to do as she pleased, and she would definitely need some time to contemplate what her uncle had said. She promptly thanked her uncle for his advice, and decided to go for a walk in the park. Perhaps there she could collect herself.

After arriving at the park, Mary sat at one of the various benches to lose herself into her thoughts, as she had been doing with regularity lately. Only a moment later, she got up and proceeded to walk around. Being in such a nervous and confused state, she simply couldn't sit still. This has never been a problem, she thought. I feel like I'm not myself. I can't even sit down for any length of time. Every child I've nannied has accepted me. They've accepted me, but have they understood me? Of course not, how could anyone but Uncle Albert understand? How could I expect him to? What do I say? What do I do? Ha, she chuckled quietly to herself, magic has solved so many problems, and yet, it can't solve this one.

"Oomph!" said a figure below Mary. In her deep concentration she hadn't noticed the man bent down on the sidewalk and had promptly run into him. He stood up to full height and smiled at Mary.

Mary gasped as she now looked at the man in front of her.

"Sorry Mary, didn't see ya there!" he said cheerfully. It was none other than Bert, the very man that Mary just couldn't get off of her mind.

Thanks for reading and please review! Next chapter coming soon, and I promise not to make you wait for too long!