A Miracle in the Midst of September

This one-shot takes place in the same universe as "A Helping Hand," but you don't need to read that to understand this. But, since I have a third story in this same universe in the works (and chronologically, this one would come first), this is officially called the Miracle in the Midst of September AU. Alternatively, you can call this universe the Miracle AU for short.

...

September 1921

Matthew walked down the hall with a spring in his step. A baby boy! It was everything he could have ever wished for! Of course, he would've been just as happy with a girl, but the fact of the matter was that he was a father now! He was a father!

As he was about to exit the building, he caught the eye of Dr. Clarkson.

Immediately grasping his hand, Matthew said, "Thank you," with fervor and reverence. "Thank you so much for keeping Mary and my son safe."

"Of course, Mr. Crawley," replied the good doctor with an unmistakable gleam in his eyes. There was a hint of sadness, too, perhaps mourning what he couldn't have done for Sybil. But for now, Matthew didn't focus on that. Today was a day to be happy. It was a day to celebrate! "Congratulations."

Matthew simply grinned like a little boy in return. He was a father!

Fishing the car keys out of his pocket, he practically skipped out the door and over to his AC Six. Oh, how he couldn't wait to give Robert, Cora, Tom, his mother, Edith, and Violet the good news! They'd simply adore the new addition to the family!

Matthew hopped into the car, finding his driving gloves safely nestled in the glovebox. After turning the ignition on, he slipped on his gloves, pulled out of the lot, and began the drive back to Downton.

As the trees seemed to blur into one, Matthew closed his eyes, letting the wind whip against his face. He just couldn't believe it. He was a father! He had a child with the one woman he loved, and he couldn't believe it had taken them so long to get to where they were now. He wondered what Mary was doing at the moment. Was she nursing the baby herself, or had she been sent a bottle of formula? Matthew hoped the latter wasn't the case; he had said from the beginning he wouldn't let this new life change him, and in some ways, that was still true. But he had grown to realize that many of the beliefs he'd held about the peerage had been borne of pure prejudice.

Matthew pushed his foot slightly lower on the gas pedal. He was impatient, and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. Any new father would be, he reasoned, as the feeling of Downton being within reach got stronger. What would Robert say to the good news? Would he agree to dance a little jig with Matthew when he would burst into the library and yell, "It's a boy!"? Or would Robert push past him and take the wheel himself, leaving the rest of the family behind in his elation? Perhaps Cora would be able to catch up and bring him back to Earth for a bit, for she'd be overjoyed, too.

The new father hummed happily, relishing the way the breeze cooled his strained muscles (he'd been smiling widely ever since he'd left the hospital, teeth and all). For a moment, Matthew felt that the road had widened just for him, just so he could get back to the others in time. It was almost as if he was flying. At this point, Matthew had no idea that he was very much above the speed limit of the road. He had no idea that there could be any vehicles that would stand in his way.

He had no idea of the lorry that was hurtling straight towards him.

Looking around, Matthew took in the green landscape. It really was a beautiful day, fitting for a new family such as his to bask in. What would his baby boy be named, he wondered? Shaking his head, he sighed. He and Mary had been so excited about the fact they were going to have a child that they hadn't had the sense to discuss names. Oh, well. Good thing they didn't, for now, Robert, Cora, Tom, his mother, Edith, and Violet would have a say in the naming process, too. At this point, Matthew still hadn't realized how far he was pushing down on the gas pedal.