A/N: Hello again my friends! I have had this type of story in my mind for a long time. Most of my multi-chapter fics have a good dose of angst in them because it is Banna after all. This one I believe will be light, funny, possibly cheesy (but we're here for that right?), steamy (any objections?), and hopefully a pleasant read. I hope you enjoy, and as always I love hearing from you.

Disclaimer: Downton Abbey and all of it's characters do not belong to me. I simply borrow them for a bit of fun.


"Phew."

Anna Smith unlocked her flat door and let herself inside. She quietly closed it behind her and deposited her purse and keys onto the table by the door.

She took a few steps into her home before she stopped to remove her heels. A sigh of relief escaped her as her feet left their confines and touched the cool wooden floor.

It was another Monday in the books, and she was glad of it. She enjoyed her work, but who enjoyed Mondays? She certainly did not. It was always hard to get back into rhythm when you had the weekends off, but it was also a blessing she didn't have to work on Saturdays and Sundays. It was nice to have a little break from routine even if Monday loomed each week.

Walking into her room, she quickly changed into some comfortable clothes and tied her hair up into a messy bun. There was something about putting on comfy clothes as soon as she got home that felt rather luxurious. She slid her phone into her lounge pants pocket and made her way back out into the open living area of her flat. She stretched some and sighed happily as the sofa called her name. She was up early each work day, so by the afternoon she was ready for some down time. With remote and blanket collected, she made it to the sofa. The blanket and remote were dropped onto the cushions.

Suddenly, a curse came from the outside of her front door. Someone out in the hallway did not sound very happy.

Concerned, she swiftly walked across the room and opened her front door. She peeked her head out to see what was going on. There was a tall man with his back to her picking up what looked like some groceries off the floor. Inspecting further it appeared one of his bags had given out on him. Her brows knitted together as she noticed he was having a little difficulty in the task then saw a cane in his right hand.

He stopped long enough to get his keys out of his pocket and put them into the lock of the flat next to surprised her. When had he moved in? She didn't know she had a new next door neighbor.

Feeling bad for spying on him, she walked out into the hallway and over to him.

"Hello," she greeted.

He jumped a little from her speaking.

"I didn't mean to startle you," she smiled in an apologetic way.

"That's alright."

A slightly awkward silence fell upon them until Anna shook herself from her thoughts.

"Please, let me help you."

"I can manage."

She gave him a supportive glance. "Of course you can, but since I'm here anyway."

She bent down and collected some of the items. He bent at the waist and retrieved the other two. He motioned for her to pile the ones she had gathered onto his arm.

"I can take them in if that'd be easier," she offered.

"Please, do not pity me."

She noticed a shimmer of hurt in his eyes. It unsettled her for some reason. She didn't pity him in the slightest.

His reply caught her off guard. "I- I would never."

She placed the items where he had suggested and stepped back. With a reply like that she didn't know what else to do at that very moment.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

He stepped inside his flat. She watched as he gave her a polite nod and closed the door.

With a sigh, she walked back to her own door and closed it behind her as she walked inside.

She laid down on her sofa with a throw pillow under her head. Pulling out her phone, she began to scroll through social media. She regularly checked her work's page. She worked for Channel 6 News as an associate meteorologist and liked to keep up-to-date with what was going on after she left for the day. It was probably a little obsessive of her, but she liked being in the loop.

Later in the evening, she decided to make a cake for her early mornings. The slices would be an easy grab and go to have with her tea when she made it to work. Beginning to collect the ingredients, she could not stop thinking of her new neighbor. The encounter had been more brief than she imagined it would. She was a friendly person and could easily talk to just about anyone. She couldn't really put her finger on what he was. There had been a mixture of emotions going on with him. She smirked to herself as she thought of his physical features. He was quite good looking, tall, sturdy build, gentle yet experienced facial features, and chestnut hair long enough for her to run her fingers through.

"Woah," she said to no one but herself. "Kinda getting carried away there, Anna."

She laughed at her day dreaming. What an imagination she had.

It still made her wonder when he had ended up next door. It could have been as early as this morning, but had it been sooner? Their interaction had been so brief she didn't even get his name, and well, she hadn't given hers either. That seemed sort of rude with them being neighbors. She should have told him her name at least.

Most of the ingredients she needed to make the cake were now on the kitchen work top. The only one she didn't see was sugar. Surely she had some, she thought as she continued to look through the cabinets. When she didn't come across any she placed her hands on her hips and huffed. She did not feel like going to the store to pick some up. Yes, she was being lazy, but she had every right. She would blame the laziness on the fact it was Monday.

Trying to think of what to do, it came to her. She grabbed a measuring cup out of one of her cabinets and closed the cabinet door.

One of the things she had picked up off the floor had been a bag of sugar, so she knew her neighbor had some. It could kill two birds with one stone. She could get her sugar, and she could find out a little more about the man next door.

With her plan in place, she walked out into the hallway with measuring cup in hand.

She stopped in front of his door to get her bearings. She really shouldn't be listening, but she couldn't hear anything going on inside. She hoped he hadn't stepped out.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. She lowered her hand, took one step back, and waited.

It was thirty seconds or so before the door opened up revealing the same tall, attractive man, only this time he had on glasses.

As if he forgot he had them on, he took them off and placed them in his shirt pocket.

"Hello, may I help you?" He asked, looking surprised to see her again in the same day.

"Actually, I am hoping you can, but before I ask for a favor I would like to introduce myself." She reached out her hand.

"I'm Anna Smith," she smiled.

He accepted the handshake by taking her hand into his and shook it lightly.

"John Bates."

His hand completely engulfed hers, and she rather liked it. They dropped their hands before Anna spoke again.

She lifted her measuring cup and asked, "Might I borrow a cup of sugar?"

This question earned her a very small yet still noticeable smile from John.

"That is very 1950s of you," he quipped.

"Is it? Maybe I am old fashioned."

"Yes, I didn't know anyone asked to borrow cups of sugar anymore."

"Well, I'm not like everyone else, Mr. Bates," she said with a lingering smirk.

His eyes smiled at her.

"How would you know if I had any sugar?"

"I may or may not have picked up a bag from the floor earlier this afternoon."

"Right," he replied, looking as though he were reliving that moment.

"So, will you help a girl out? I'm baking a cake," she prompted as she shook her measuring cup a little.

"Depends on the type of cake," he said bluntly.

Anna laughed, "Does it now?"

"Of course."

"If you must know, I am making a butter cake to go with my morning tea."

He seemed to study if the cake was acceptable.

"I will go get the sugar you require."

Anna grinned, and he turned and left her alone at his door. It wasn't long until he was back with the bag of sugar. He reached out the whole bag to her.

"I only need a cup."

"Go ahead. Take it. I rarely use it anyway," he insisted.

"You're sure?"

"I am."

She took the bag from him and tucked it into her arm.

"Thank you, Mr. Bates."

"You're welcome, Miss Smith. Good evening."

"Good evening."

They both gave a polite smile before she walked away and he closed the door.

Back inside her home again she giggled. She carried the sugar and measuring cup back into the kitchen and sat them down on the work top.

He had been pleasant and kinda cheeky, she noted. Maybe she would have a friendly neighbor in John Bates.

Humming, the set about making her cake and thinking about some work tasks she would need to complete when she got to work the following day.


A/N 2: Yes to more? Let me know what you think :)