thequitecontrary

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steve trevor

Reunion

After Mary's engagement to Richard Carlisle officially ended, she and her family thought it would be best for her to spend some time in New York with Cora's family. They didn't know if Richard would print the story about Mary's scandal with Pamuk. Now that the engagement was off, he had every right to. At least in New York the news, if it got there, wouldn't cause such a sensation. She would weather any storm while in America and then return to Britain after it blew over. Mary was planning on it being the duration of the summer.

The only person from Downton that went with her was Anna, being Mary's most trusted companion. The trip across the Atlantic was long, but they finally arrived and were taken with all of Mary's luggage to her uncle Harold Levinson's mansion on 5th Avenue. She knew that spending a few months with her uncle and grandmother, who also lived in the house, would be entirely different than living at Downton. They were not nearly as formal, something that drove the Dowager crazy, but Mary thought she might find refreshing for once. She just hoped that Anna would be alright with it.

One night soon after her arrival, there was a charity benefit for American war vets hosted by one of the wealthy families of Manhattan. It was a chance for vets to hobnob with the rich and for the rich to make sizeable donations to veteran organizations. There were several heavy hitters there, people with last names like Vanderbilt and Astor. Martha, being the schemer that she was, saw this as a perfect opportunity to introduce her newly single granddaughter to some wealthy American men.

Mary was holding court with about three of them, two of them much older than her and one closer to her age. She didn't find any of them to be particularly spectacular, beyond being wealthy. Having just ended an engagement due to lack of love, she wasn't so ready to jump into another one with someone she merely tolerated. But she smiled and engaged in polite conversation at least. That would make Martha happy.

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He was doing well enough, honestly. She welcomed both his taking the lead and pulling her a bit closer.

Mary looked out over his shoulder at the skyscrapers of the city, lit up for the evening with a thousand lights. "I've always liked New York," she told him. "It's second to London, of course, but it seems like such an exciting city. It felt like we were on an adventure when I used to visit as a girl."

Coming from the quiet peacefulness of the English countryside, large cities were places of wonder.

Moving them about so he could look over the city as well, he stole a glance at the skyscrapers, smiling at the remark. He also slowed down their pace, because as much as he enjoyed dancing with Mary, he also wanted to be able to talk to her.

"It can still be an adventure now, can't it?" He asked as he tipped his head at her. "We're never too old for that, you know."

"I suppose it can," she replied. "You haven't had enough adventure in your life?" Mary smiled at him. There were a lot of things that she wanted to see and do on her trip to New York, and she was glad that she might have a companion to do them with now. She wasn't sure what her uncle and grandmother would think about that person being Steve, but she could worry about that later.

"Are you happy here?"

"Should I?" He shrugged, pursing his lips. "Plenty of adventures I haven't experienced yet, so I don't see why I wouldn't want to." Adventure didn't always have to mean danger or potential death, after all. That he had had enough of, yes.

He considered her question for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I'm... at peace. That's all I could ask for."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said. There was a moment of silence between them as Mary simply enjoyed being with him, standing close and feeling the gentle breeze in the air. She could smell his cologne or aftershave, a heady intoxicating scent.

"I thought about you after you were gone."

Mary missed him, even though they hadn't spent all that much time together in the grand scheme of things. It was not seeing him everyday, not enjoying the way he smiled at her. He'd become so familiar.

It was true that they hadn't spent a lot of time together, but Steve felt that, when it came to some people, it wasn't only about the amount of time they got to have. He may not have known Mary for long or shared too many moments with her, but the precious few had been enough for him to know she was special, that he cared for her, and that he could come to care even more, given the opportunity.

This felt like that opportunity, now. And Steve planned to seize it and not let go.

"I thought about you too," he said honestly, moving her hand and pressing it to his chest. They weren't dancing so much as just swaying now, and Steve held her a little closer, feeling like it was an embrace more than anything. "You were often on my mind."

"I was?" In some ways, she was surprised that she had made that kind of impression on him, though she remembered the kiss he had given her before he had departed. It was relatively chaste, as far as kisses went, but quite personal for two people who had only spent so much time together.

She smoothed her hand out over his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath it.

"Yes," he answered, honest and unashamed. He didn't think there was anything wrong with admitting he cared, no matter how strange it might seem when they hadn't gotten to know each other too well. Besides, they had more time for that now. More freedom, too— especially Mary.

"I'd very much like to be able to kiss you right now." It wasn't a request by any means, not here of all places. Simply an admission of sorts, though he didn't look all that shy or embarrassed about it.

"Steve..." Her voice was quiet, though her eyes were on his lips. "Are you sure that is a good idea?"

Part of her wanted him to kiss her, and part of her thought that it was a terrible idea. They were from two different worlds. Mary knew that she was supposed to marry a man from her own social class, one who could take of her financially in the manner that she was used to. It would be difficult though, given her past. Most men did not want to marry a woman who was not a virgin.

He couldn't help letting out a chuckle at her question, tipping his head a little. "I am almost too sure it's a terrible idea."

Here, at least, in the middle of a crowded party. Steve knew it would draw attention to them, and even if only a couple of people saw them, it would still be enough for word to spread and reach her family's ears. Steve didn't really want to turn the benefit into some sort of scandal.

"Maybe I'll be able to contain myself and just kiss you later." A pause, then he added. "If you want me to, of course."

"I do," she whispers, even surprising herself that she's saying it. "But... I have just ended an engagement, and there are things that you do not know." Despite herself, her eyes grew watery with tears. Mary had ruined her own life by allowing Pamuk to seduce her. Now she was sure she was ruined for anyone that would want her.

The 'but' was almost inevitable, and Steve was fully prepared for it. Whether she would mention her recent engagement, or the fact they were of entirely different classes and he was not suitable, and worse yet, an American; he expected to hear just about anything. He didn't expect her saying that, though— bringing up some deep secret, all the while looking like she was about to cry.

It didn't bother Steve so much as worried him, honestly. His smile faded and his eyebrows knitted together in concern, as he pulled slightly from her and tried to look her in the eye. "What are you talking about, Mary? What's wrong?"

Those things had to be taken into consideration too. Class differences weren't just a trite excuse.

Something was needling her, telling her that she should tell him about her shame. Perhaps he would understand or it wouldn't bother him as much as it might an upper class man.

"Steve, I want you to be honest, even if this seems like a ridiculous question. Do you have the intention to try to court me?"

Did he have a chance, even if he did? Mary wasn't sure, but she also knew that she would never want to be engaged to another man that she didn't love.

It wasn't a ridiculous question, not necessarily. He knew enough about Mary to know that would be the natural evolution of a relationship for her, that she wasn't the kind to simply go on dates with men, even if nothing came of it or happened in the end. It was something Steve would have to adapt to somehow, but right now... well, right now it was just a little jarring.

"Maybe," he offered at first, like he wasn't quite sure of what to say. He had never imagined that kind of life for himself, after all. Not because he didn't want it, but simply because he could never afford to indulge in fantasies of the kind. Besides, he never really met anyone that made him want to try for that kind of commitment.

"I thought... I don't know, we could just go out and see if we got along. I like you, Mary, but I think we should be sure we'd even want to marry each other before any kind of proposal, don't you?"

Mary nodded. She would like to get to know him better before any sort of proposal. She had met Richard once before they had become engaged, and she was determined to not go through that again.

"If you at least have some intent, then I will tell you what you need to know. You can make the decision whether or not you wish to continue with a woman like me."

She took his arm and lead him over to the balcony, at a section where they could be alone. Mary sighed and looked out at the night sky, hoping that this wouldn't ruin everything. She would be sad if Steve decided that he could not even be her friend.

"Several years ago a man came to Downton to visit with a friend of the family. He was... handsome and charming. I admit that I flirted with him, but I thought it was innocent." Mary took a deep breath. "He came to my room one night and told me that he wanted me, that we should have one night together and that any man I married would never know. I... gave in and allowed him to seduce me. I am not a virgin, Steve."

There was more, but she wanted to only drop one bombshell at a time.

Steve wasn't really sure what to expect here, but with the way she led him somewhere quieter, he was genuinely worried for what she might tell him. Without realizing it, he ended up holding his breath, waiting and hanging onto her every word while expecting for whatever tipping point that came that ought to shock him so much.

It didn't come. It took Steve a moment to realize it was only because she was worried about something that he frankly couldn't care any less about. Forcing himself not to smile and dismiss her worries so lightly, he did turn to her and leaned a little into her space.

"Well... I'm not sure if this is much of a shock to you, but I'm not a virgin either."

It was in part a remark meant to lighten the mood, but also an honest answer that would hopefully convey how very little he cared about that.

She couldn't help the way the corner of her mouth quirked up at that comment. "It's different if you are a man," she said. "But there's more. After he... finished, he was very still and I was not sure what had happened. He was dead. He'd died in my bed of some sort of heart failure. I had to call Mama and Anna to help me move his body back to his room. We must have been seen by someone though because the information leaked. There was a threat that the scandal would be published in the papers. Richard owned several of the papers and he agreed to protect me. He would have me as his wife, even though I was not virtuous, and he would make sure that nothing was published." She paused to take a shaky breath. "I never really loved him though, and a few weeks before we were to wed, I called the engagement off. I don't know if he will publish what knows about me or not, but it would surely sell papers. That is why I am in New York, in case the scandal breaks. I needed somewhere to hide."

Mary looked up at the sky, finding that she could not look at Steve. She wiped at her eyes with her hand.

"Now that you know the truth, I would understand if I am not a burden that you would wish to take on."

That was ultimately why she had decided to tell him. Why go through everything and fall in love (and she did think she could fall in love with a man like him) only for him to learn about this and leave her heartbroken?

"It's not different to me," he said simply. He couldn't care any less what society deemed acceptable or not. So what if she was a woman? Why should that afford her any less freedom to do what she liked— to be curious, even, to want to experience things? It would be hypocritical of him to judge her for it, to think that she wasn't in any way suitable only because she had slept with someone else.

The rest of the story was a lot more shocking, to be fair. Steve found himself raising his eyebrows at the whole tale, but he didn't say a word until she finished, even if he felt a tinge of anger flaring up when Mary explained why she had been planning on marrying Richard to begin with, and what his terms had been. Clenching his jaw for a moment, he managed to not say anything particularly unpleasant, although he still couldn't help the bite in his own words. "Well then, we'll know for sure what a pile of shit that guy really is if he goes ahead and publishes that, won't we?"

It was such a horrible thing to do. Steve couldn't imagine that man had ever cared for Mary in any way, if he would do something so hideous to her, whether out of spite or only to sell more papers. Both reasons were equally foul. And that was the kind of animal people would call a 'gentleman'? Honestly.

But he set aside that unpleasant feeling instead, and turned his attention to Mary. She was crying now, and he reached out to catch one of her hands, his hold as soft as his words.

"I don't care, Mary. About any of it," he paused a moment, then added with a teasing edge to it. "I mean, unless you're worried you might give me a heart attack, too. But I've survived a war, so... I think I'll be alright."

"Steve!" She scolded, surprised at the edge in his words about Richard. She hadn't been coerced into becoming engaged to him - not really. Although now that she thought about it, it did seem more like self-preservation. That was ultimately why she had broken it off.

Mary chanced to look at him now, smiling slightly at his joke even as she wiped her eyes. "You would not care that I am impure?"

He rose his eyebrows and lifted his shoulders, but he didn't look particularly apologetic. She'd called marriage a business deal, once. And honestly, these were the exact kinds of reasons that Steve would never think as legitimate ones to marry someone.

Her question had him staring at her incredulously for a good while, though. He turned to face her, catching both her hands in his. "Not even a little bit. Actually, I find that word... seriously stupid and completely outdated. I think you're wonderful just the way you are."

Her eyes got wider as she looked at him, slightly in disbelief. She had never heard a man talk that way. Maybe it was a difference between their classes?

"Then if it is of no matter to you, I would like to see you again after this party."

Mary felt like she couldn't promise anything. At any point she might come to her senses and realize that there were too many differences between them, but for now she liked the idea of having a handsome man to spend time with in New York.

Maybe a little bit of that, maybe a bit of the fact that he was an American, but in good part it was just how Steve was. He didn't really care if women slept with whomever they pleased, and honestly, it was nobody's business if they did anyway. Especially if they were single. No one went around asking him who he fell into bed with, so.

"I'd like that very much, too," he said, his smile reaching his eyes. He brushed his thumbs across Mary's knuckles. "Won't your uncle and grandmother be upset when I come over to pick you up?" He didn't want to cause Mary any upset.

She laughed slightly at that. "Not if I introduce you properly, I suppose. You are a Lieutenant Colonel." That had to carry some weight, even if it wasn't the same thing as being a Lord. "Besides... they are also American." Mary smiled knowingly. They would not be nearly as hard to impress as her British relations would be.

"Ah, that is true. Guess you are right," he quirked an amused smile at her, then narrowed his eyes at her at the next remark. "So you mean to say we just have lower standards, is that it?" He knew that wasn't what she was thinking of, not exactly, but he couldn't pass up on the opportunity to tease her a little.

She knew that he was teasing, but Mary still shook her head at him. "I mean to say that Americans are not nearly as uptight as the British." She could acknowledge that at least.

He was handsome, kind, polite, funny, obviously brave and very understanding. Even if he wasn't nobility, Mary was sure she could do worse. After all, she had met loads of noblemen and not fallen in love with any of them. Maybe it was time to at least give someone else a try.

Reunion

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