Anna returns to the cottage soaked the night before the royal parade. Missing moment from the Downton Abbey Movie.

Sometimes there are a thousand things that can't be described adequately, but they exist all the same.

Canon-divergent AU. Anna Smith arrives at Downton Abbey in 1912, a young woman with a mysterious past. Bates has already been there a year. How will their story unfold? (Downstairs-focussed, involving many characters as it follows the basic plot of the show)

The house party ends with a violent incident that leaves Anna distraught, Mrs. Hughes in a quandary, and Bates bewildered. But subsequent events take a different turn in this re-telling of the Anna and Bates tragedy (in more ways than one) of Season 4. Rated T for mature subject matter. No graphic details. Canon compliant to a point 3 days beyond the assault.

AU post The Outcast Dead. Nelson's life is turned upside down, and as he tries to find his footing through being a better father to Kate, Ruth's life is dragged into disarray.

Modern AU: Anna can't believe her good fortune when she lands an interview for her dream job...but when she meets the boss, she's not sure whether her luck is so good after all...

Modern AU ficlet. Anna Smith never dreamed that solitude could be the beginning of the most important friendship of her life.

The drinks were flowing, the laughter was rife, there was song and dance and cheer everywhere she turned, and all of it made her feel more alone than ever.

Modern AU. There are two things in life you can't go without: food and love.

Modern AU. Sometimes a prize is a snowball to the face. Sometimes it's something that will melt frozen hearts.

The letter arrived in the morning post, in a thick, rich envelope, addressed to them both in neat, looping handwriting.

John and Anna reflect on their happy life at their daughter's wedding. Absolute fluff.

Beginning a mystery...

"You have to live my life as well as your own. Go to France, see some sights. Make us some memories." Set during Mr. Bates' imprisonment. Anna goes to France and makes some memories. (S3 Banna)

Modern AU: John Bates is a football coach, an injury forcing him to retire from playing football at an early age. A visit from an old friend changes his life forever. Has John finally found something more important than football?

modern/au They were told 'where' and 'when' to meet but very little about the 'who'. Anna Smith only knows that his name is John. John Bates knows even less than that. For the batesessecretservice Banna Secret Santa exchange on tumblr and with best wishes for JamesLuver/thank-god-and-you. And a big THANK YOU to annambates for the cover art!

A/B. 1926. The Bates' marriage has weathered every storm thrown their way. So much has changed, but there's only one thing Anna wants to stay the same.

Every actor hopes for that one role to come along that changes their life for the better. Has John Bates found his?

After going through a bitter divorce, the last thing John Bates is looking for is love. Upon arriving back in Downton to work with his old friend, Robert Crawley, John meets and falls for a lovely waitress named, Anna Smith. Anna is a single mother trying to escape and forget a troubled past. Will the two finally find the happy ending they are both searching for?

Around a year ago I wrote my first Spooks/Ruth Galloway (from the novels by Elly Griffiths) crossover fic called "Don't Druids Worship the Full Moon?" This fic, of 7 chapters, is a follow-up, and opens 18 months after that fic ended. To throw Harry and Ruth from Spooks together with Harry Nelson and Ruth Galloway from the Ruth Galloway novels is too tempting to not revisit.

Modern AU. When John Bates agrees to take care of Isis whilst his best friend is away, he doesn't expect his world to collide—quite literally—with Anna Smith. Cover image by annambates.

Response to a Tumblr prompt: "I wouldn't mind if you stayed".

New Year's Eve is the most predictable time of year - isn't it? Anna x Bates Modern AU one-shot.

written for annambates for the batesessecretservice Secret Santa on tumblr. John and Anna are thrilled to welcome eight month old Evan into their home on Christmas Day but the feeling is not quite mutual for some reason. Written in the 'Ten Items or Less' universe - consider it some kind of sequel, I guess. ugh, I hope this even makes sense... xoxo

This is a three parter for @breakfast-at-bateses as part of the @batesessecretservice Secret Santa program on tumblr. Any resemblance to a previously posted fanfic is totally a coincidence. We just have mutual good taste when it comes to picking story lines! ;-) Jackie Bates is upset over something he was told in school. How will John and Anna handle it?

John and Anna Bates have plans to celebrate Christmas away from the Abbey as couple before the arrival of Baby Bates. Set December 24, 1925 (season 6)

Modern A/U one shot in which John discusses with Anna his frustration over their son's choice of reading material at bedtime.

In the Chalk Pit, Elly Griffiths gives us one line to describe what happens between Ruth and Nelson. I didn't feel that was enough, so here is my take on what really went on upstairs. I don't own the characters, but I love them, so I'm borrowing them for a bit. Reviews are always appreciated. Cheers, S.C.

Modern AU. If Anna had been told three years ago that the week of her sister's wedding would change her own life for good, she probably would have wondered what on earth they had been smoking. She had longed for more, it was true, but she would certainly not have believed that such a clichéd scenario would have brought her together with the man that she was in love with.

Modern AU. After weeks of live performances, football commentator John Bates has made it to the final of "Dance With Me", in no small part down to his professional dancing partner Anna Smith. And with controversial performances and backstage dramas spilling into the public eye, this night is set to change John's life in ways he couldn't have guessed. Cover art by brendanbyfanny.

Modern AU. Anna Smith had always loved flowers, but she had never thought that one strange bouquet would bring her together with a man like John Bates.

They've never spoken but their paths cross every day... can you really love at first sight?

A glimpse into Christmases past and present throughout the courtship of John and Anna. This is my secret santa gift for @awesomegreentie that was organized by @batesessecretservice .

Set in 1956. Father John Bates is at a turning point in his life when he's offered a chance at a new beginning...but life sometimes has different plans.

From the beginning of time, people have judged others based on the surface of the story, forming opinions after seeing one side or clinging to their pre-conceived notions. From a young age, Lizzie Bates realises that the world isn't always a kind place, but she has learnt a valuable lesson along the way.

Journal entries written by John & Anna(actually Handy-for-the-bus & Terriejane)after they left service and became the proprietors of the Grantham Arms Hotel in Downton Village. Rated K through M.

It's John's turn to call the shots on date night. Banna Modern AU.

It is time to make a dream a reality.

Modern Day AU, Coffee House Fic. Fluff? Probably. Based on a prompt from awesomegreentie. We started with a T rating, but who was I kidding? We promptly moved up to a strong M at Chapter 5.

Modern AU. For the last six weeks, they had had the same argument at five to nine on a dark Sunday evening.

Modern A/U - Anna Smith is an up and coming fashion designer while John Bates is trying to put his life back together while working as a personal assistant to TV Executive Robert Crawley. John and Anna are convinced by their close friends to try online dating in order to find love, but will they be successful?

"Really?" "Really." There's more to be told than what made it to the screen... (Banna S6 Missing Moment)

A slight amendment to the scene in Lady Mary's bedroom just before midnight. Using most of the lines from the scene and a few of my own.

When Anna goes to the Harrogate RSPCA to adopt a homeless cat, she finds more than she bargained for.

Five years after her wedding to Matthew, Robin contemplates the passing of time.

A look into the lives of the Bates' pursuing their dreams beyond Downton Abbey. (A Banna one-shot response to the "A Picture is Worth 1000 Words" Challenge #6: The Campfire)

John and his son, Jack engage in a Star Wars inspired light saber battle while Anna runs errands.

Bates embarks on the unpleasant task of packing for the Crawley's travels...or is it unpleasant at all? {canon. circa 1913} (A Banna one-shot response to the "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" fic challenge on Tumblr. Challenge #2: The Fan)

What was going through Anna & Bates' minds after they returned from their secret wedding night?

"He was back. Her body told her so. It was singing with it." Giving the Bates' the love life they deserve. S 3, post prison. Enter at your own discretion.

Best friends would do anything for each other - even pretending to be more than that, for a day. Modern AU.

Modern AU. Glimpses into Anna and John's relationship as they deal with highs and lows, together as Team Bates.

Modern AU. After Anna suggests that they should watch a TV show together, John confides in his friend. Robert thinks he's got the measure of it, but John finds that the evening goes beyond his wildest expectation.

She'd never thought that she would meet a man like him. But John Bates is an enigma at the best of times, and Anna Smith simply can't work out whether the man that she's fallen in love with has given his heart in return.

Two is company but three is a crowd when it comes to bed time.

With the war in South Africa stretching on longer than anticipated, Robert has a drink with his batman and reminisces about home.

Modern A/U - Mr. Bates and Anna have only been dating for a short time and it seems that both have struggled with what to get the other for Christmas. What will they decide on?

Modern AU. John Bates has no idea how his life is going to change when Anna Smith asks a favour of him.

On their way back to London for Christmas, snow delays their flight and forces them to a night in Chicago. While Anna wants to make the most out of it, her colleague, Bates, doesn't like it at all. Modern AU.

Modern AU. Married life for the Bateses is perfect until, one evening, Anna stumbles across a picture that changes everything. Written for the Banna Secret Santa Exchange 2015.

"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." Modern AU: He rescued her in the express check-out, and she rescued him from a life of ordinary. Written for silly-beggar and the Team Bates Secret Santa Exchange. Please R and R.

He was interesting, she was kind, they were getting closer through shared moments and hidden looks. Anna and Mr Bates, series 1, between episodes 2 and 5. Sequel to "And so it begins"

This little piece of fluff is down to silly begger on tumblr. That'll teach you to put ideas into my head! John and Anna, AU, not so strangers stuck in a lift. Same old same old.

eady-of-old gave me the idea for this fic on Tumblr. John and Anna are reunited after his release from prison, but the cottage is not ready! Anna longs to find a way around their separation. John has other ideas, and begins writing secret notes to Anna during his copious free time. It's not M yet, but it will be... DISCLAIMER DA is not mine but it is fun to borrow!

John and Anna snuggle up together in front of the fire at their cottage. Unapologetic fluffy smut!

In 1955, Anna attends the funeral of her beloved husband. Her friends and family are there to support her as she thinks through her memories of the man she loved and everything they shared in their life together.

A ficlet for each episode - revealing a little more of what happened between Anna and Bates each step of the way, through the good and the bad. (Trigger warnings for Chapter 20 and 29.)

It's both the proudest and most difficult day of John Bates' life.

Life is a risky business. Modern AU.

Anna's new dress affects John in unexpected ways.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but Anna thinks a kiss is worth a thousand more.

(Formerly "Saudade") From an "imagine your OTP" prompt. The trouble with falling in love with someone is that they can't always love you back. Modern AU.

A "fill-in-the-blank" canon-style journey through Anna and Bates' courtship. I think of this as a "prequel" to A Meeting at Night and Homecoming, but each of the stories can stand alone. This is to be a multiple chapter fic, which began with a T rating and firmly MOVED UP TO A STRONG M AT CHAPTER 16.

"Don't worry, Bates. I gave a false name. No one will know I was here."

Set during Series 2, Episode 8. Lord Grantham has received a telegram informing the family Matthew is injured. William's fate is unknown. Anna is grateful Mr Bates is there to comfort her as she considers, under different circumstances, what the war might have meant for her.

A sequel to "Twelfth Night" and "First Birthday." Bates adjusts to the demands of fatherhood and friendship. Angst-free Bates family fluff and RoBates bonding.

When an affair runs its course, what direction do you turn?

Bates and Anna couldn't have known where that first handshake would lead them: short vignettes covering on- and off-screen scenes in their romance.

Amorous meetings at night. Chapter 1: A wedding night. Chapter 2: A homecoming.

Self explanatory. Takes place after our intrepid duo's first off-screen kiss between series one and two.

Can lovers who were ripped apart in one life find each other and reconnect in the next? AU Anna/Bates reincarnation story. What would have happened if Bates had hanged? Romance with a heavy dollop of mystery as Anna and Bates's paths cross once again and they are inexplicably drawn to each other. Will they figure who they were in the past? And how does that affect their future?

He imagined the scene now; a normal day up at Downton Abbey. Anna, sitting in the servants' hall. The others surrounding them at the table. Anna's status would be there for everyone to see: the dearest person in his heart, a heart that took every sole beat for her like a clock tuned to its master's hand.

John and Anna surprise their daughter with a puppy.

Slightly steamy Banna written for one of terriejanes pic fic prompts. John is more cooperative about letting Anna tend his knee with a little...incentive.

Modern AU. He always left her chocolate candies on her desk. They were a secret, of course. And on Valentine's day, she expected another. After working for the man for ten months, she knew it would be forthcoming. Mister Bates was sweet like that, to think of her.

What does everyone else see that John Bates can't?

They'd made attempts. But resuming the intimacy of married life was difficult for Anna and Bates, and each time they failed made it even more difficult to try again. Spoilers through S5E1

Modern AU - When John Bates knocks on the door of his goddaughter's cottage, he didn't expect to find someone else living there. Christmas fluff based on a well-known Christmas film.

A letter to Scotland Yard and the mystery of Mr. Green's death ***series 5 spoilers*** this is not speculation. it's not even a wild guess. it just kinda happened. RnR if you feel so inclined. thanks.

Just a bit of baby Bates fluff to get us through after the series five finale.

John surprises Anna with a special gift. Fluffy oneshot/drabble focusing on the idea of gift-giving, and inspired by a headcanon that I have about Anna and John's shared interests. Takes place during S1/S2

Surrounded by all their children

"You know, I remember reading a line in a book not that long ago," John stretched out across the sheets, slipping an arm around Anna's waist as she snuggled in closer to his side, the heat of their skin meeting. " 'Lust is Saturday night, love is Sunday morning'." Modern AU.

When Lady Mary bobs her hair, Anna wonders if she should do the same, and asks John for his opinion.

Anna and John are very much enjoying their first few days in the cottage, with readying their home falling a little by the wayside for more pressing activities. But when John takes a bath and Anna decides to join him, things don't quite go as planned.

Fluffy Anna and Bates family drabbles and scenarios in no particular order.

A series of 100-word stories depicting moments from the lives of our favorite "spot of trouble" valet and head housemaid-turned-lady's maid.

John is interested in Anna's scars.

Months after Anna's attack, she decides she's ready to attempt intimacy again with her husband. But she was not the only one traumatized by the events of that night.

More Bates family shenanigans and poor Mr. Molesley finally gets a hit. Much fluffiness.

Modern AU for Anna and Bates, loosely based on their S1 and S2 courtship. Bates is a bartender in New York City, and Anna is a graduate student and a frequent customer. Each chapter is an opposing, parallel pair of 100-word drabbles.

Bates and Anna have finally found happiness together. *Major Fluff Alert*

Post Prison Release Series 3 - Anna and Bates have a heated moment of reunion in the courtyard. Will they be able to keep themselves from getting carried away?

Set during S3E07 as an explanation for Anna's body language in the servant's hall after Bates's release from prison.

Modern Anna x Bates one shot. At a dinner party held by the Crawleys in the grand surroundings of Downton Abbey, Anna and John get the chance to explore.

In the space of a few hours, Anna Smith's life is turned upside down. Can a chance encounter on a Underground train change everything for the better, and guide her to where she is meant to be? Modern Anna and Bates AU, based on the film Sliding Doors. M Rated from Chapter 10. [Winner of 2014 Highclere Award for Anna/Bates Modern AU story]

John and Anna's 4 year old decides to ask Mr. Carson for a job at Downton Abbey. Fluff-tastic.

Modern!Anna x Bates AU ficlet. Anna appreciates seeing John in a new light.

"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light." - Helen Keller :: The worlds of Anna Smith and John Bates become unexpectedly entwined, as they both question everything they've based their lives upon. :: Modern A/U

Modern/AU - Inspired by this 'Imagine Your OTP' prompt on Tumblr - "Imagine Person A teaching Person B of your OTP how to kiss, and Person B ends up kissing Person A really quick, nervously asks "Like that?" and leaves Person A silent and flustered for a moment."

Anna was distracted by a bright and colorful object which caught her eye peeking out from behind a flower pot by the front stoop.

He gazed across the bed at his wife's face, relaxed and innocent in slumber. In these moments, she looked as young and untouched by life as the first day they'd met. Rated M

S4 Oneshot - An exploration of a way Anna and Bates might have reintroduced intimacy/closeness back into their relationship after her attack.

He didn't need to say the words.

S4 spoilers. When a new housemaid shows an interest in Mr. Bates, Anna is forced to confront both her own jealousy and the divide which has grown between her and her husband.

Anna and Bates discuss courtship and fancies.

Series 1 - Slight A/U (but who knows?) - After Bates brings her the lovely tray; Anna witnesses him shoving Thomas against the wall, and goes to the courtyard to think. What happens when Bates joins her?

John and Anna spent months travelling on the same bus to the same job but never noticed one another. That is until now. But will they act upon their feelings?

"Fairy." There was another round of laughter, but it was lower and menacing. He turned, an acrid denial ready to fall from his lips. A flash of blinding white exploded behind his eyes, as the fist slammed across his cheek. His head snapped around. He hit the ground, hard. Sometimes, help comes when you least expect it - or even want it.

SPOILER ALERT. This takes place 6 months after Series 4, episode 3. I hesitated to write anything like this at all. But we don't get to pick what we write.

After escaping an abusive marriage, Anna takes her daughter and finds herself at Downton Abbey, working alongside Mr Bates. AU - modern day.

Anna is feeling frustrated after the garden party.

The arrival of Mr Pamuk causes a stir both above and below stairs, leading Anna and Mr Bates into a conversation about what makes someone beautiful.

Modern A/U. John Bates is a Captain in the British army, about to retire after he has embarked on his final deployment to Afghanistan. Will he and his wife, Anna, get their happy ending?

Service work involved long, tough hours - not unlike what many couples face today. In combination with an "atmosphere" this can raise tensions. High-functioning personalities (you know the ones) tend to handle these tensions a little better than most. Sometimes, you just have to make do. These are not my characters.

This was inspired by historical readings about the Boer war, in which the first concentration camps appeared, built by the British. Public support for that war waned when the British people found out about the atrocities committed for wealth. In my imagination, this would be the hardest to bear for someone like Mr. Bates. These are not my characters.

Robert writes Bates a letter while he's in prison and makes a promise. Robert/Bates friendship with mentions of Bates/Anna.

It's just the letter mentioned in Series 3, episode 6 when John Bates returns home from prison. But in my imagination, John would have been this exact in his selection of feeling and this brief and to the point. We write "to fill the holes in our hearts" I read once. I think it's true. I wanted to read his letter, so I wrote my version of it.

S02E03 AU. John takes Anna as his mistress. Prompted by anon on Tumblr. Nominated in A/B fic in Highclere Awards 2014.

S02E03. Anna and John take a walk after Anna confronts him in the Red Lion pub. Prompted by anon on Tumblr.

It's Christmas 1914. Anna and Mr Bates' situation is the same as it always has been, until a mishap under the mistletoe forces everything to change. Winner of A/B canon, and nominated in A/B angst in Highclere Awards 2014.

S01E04. "It's at that point that he realises the whole undeniable truth, the force of it hitting him like a train at full speed, as though it's a magic trick that has been saved until last for the grand finale: he, John Bates, is in love."

On their wedding night, John watches Anna sleep, marvelling at everything they've overcome so far and pondering their future.

Post 1x05. The night of the Flower Show, with her feelings out in the open, Anna confronts Bates and attempts to better understand why he won't acknowledge his feelings.

Anna is left a beautiful bouquet of flowers. She, Daisy, and Miss O'Brien attempt to guess who they're from, but it's Mr Bates who holds all of the answers.

Victor Henry returns to Washington where Pam already waits for him at their apartment.

Old Mrs Bates' letter to her son describing her impressions of Anna. Bates/Anna, obviously.

John has a very naughty, bath related request of Anna! Smutty-fluff fic and M for a good reason!

She has faith he'll eventually come to his senses.

Ever wondered how Anna dealt with her declaration of love to Mr Bates? Well this is my attempt to fill in the gaps between Ep5 and Ep6.

Ethel's arrival upsets the balance below stairs.

Anna is awake and about to enjoy her day.

In which we explore what Mr. Bates might have pondered as he rode in the hay cart to the Downton Village Flower Show. A one shot.

A short interlude between Bates and Anna after the garden party. Please review if so inclined! Sequel of sorts can be found on the "M" side. Not terribly graphic, but M-ish and on hiatus.