This story takes off on the cancer scare with Mrs. Hughes with a different ending/story. I covet your thoughts in reviews. Thanks for reading. There will be more to the story, stay tuned! I'm a single mom so I struggle to get time to write. I promise to give it my best and write as much as possible!

*Disclaimer - I in no way am affiliated with Downton Abbey nor the characters there in. I claim no legal rights to the characters or plot lines.

What Makes Us Stronger

Dr. Clarkson entered the kitchen through the back door of the Abbey and asked for Mrs. Hughes.

"She's in her pantry, I believe. Let me check." Anna rapped lightly on the door before opening. "Dr. Clarkson is here to see you, Mrs. Hughes." She couldn't help but notice the look of concern immediately across the housekeeper's face. She gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do you want me to send him in?"

"Of course, thank you Anna." She stood resolved, knowing that a personal visit from the doctor could mean the worst.

"Mrs. Hughes? How are you?" the doctor greets her warmly.

"Well I've certainly been better but I'm better than I deserve I suppose." She sighed deeply trying to make light of the moment.

"I was coming to see Her Ladyship to discuss the hospital charity drive and thought I would save you a trip into the village," he explains.

"Oh…I see…well that is kind of you. Please take a seat." Elsie motions toward her settee and she sits at her desk.

"Mrs. Hughes, I'm afraid I don't have the best of news." Dr. Clarkson fumbled with his hat before continuing.

Elsie's hands burst with perspiration and her heart begins to pound. "Oh?"

"The biopsy results were inconclusive, there was too much blood in the fluid we extracted to get a clear reading. However…I don't want you to think this is, in any way, a….positive. We are far from a positive result. This only means it's going to take longer to find out….if…."

"…it's cancer?" She finishes for him.

"…yes…" he says solemnly. "Mrs. Hughes….I feel I need to explain, though. I want to be completely honest with you. I've asked a colleague of mine, a specialist...in...this type of cancer... to review the findings and..." he hesitates.

"Go on..." She insists.

"He finds that the results will likely be positive...from what he sees." he hurriedly continues, "Againwe are not 100% certain at this point. If...IF the results come back positive, we will have lost a few weeks of treatment." His voice dropped to a more concerned, heavy tone. "I want you to do what you can to lighten your load here until we know. I would be happy to talk to her Ladyship if need be.

"No! No…that's fine. I can handle it." Elsie was finding it hard to breathe and hold tears back and she just wanted this meeting to be over. "Dr. Clarkson you are so kind to deliver this news personally. I assure you I will do everything I can to take it easy." She stood and held her arm out as if to lead him toward the door.

Somewhat stunned by the abruptness, Dr. Clarkson stood and gave her a warm pat on her shoulder. "Mrs. Hughes, I know this scary, but please…please try not to worry."

Tears pooled in her gray blue eyes and she only nodded quickly before shutting the door behind him.

Charles Carson stepped into the doorway of his pantry, his gaze following the doctor out of her sitting room. He was suddenly sick to his stomach for he knew something was wrong, he had just not been able to pull it out of Mrs. Hughes or Mrs. Patmore for the last few weeks but now he worst fears were confirmed. She was sick. He fell heavily against the door frame and stood for what seemed like an eternity. He returned to his pantry and paced back and forth. "Do I confront her now? Surely she will say something…' he thought. His mind was cloudy and he finally sat down in his desk chair and smoothed his hand across his brow. He was certain of a few things and he thought on those things for a long while. He was certain he loved Elsie Hughes. He was certain they were friends, good friends. He was certain he could not live his life without her in it. He felt he was at a crossroads where they were concerned, suddenly thrown into a moment of crisis that required action. He had a choice…to tell her, show her, how he felt and support her fully through this or leave things as they were and support her as a friend. He knew in his heart that she would never let him in the way he wanted to be if he didn't take a chance. 'You have nothing to lose you ol fool!' he tried to reason with that stubborn man, that fearful man.

Soon he left the comfort of his pantry and was standing at the closed door of her sitting room. He took in a great breath and knocked quietly, he waited only a second and opened the door to find her sitting with her chair turned away from the door.

"Mrs. Hughes?" He said in soft tone.

Her heart lept and she closed her eyes pushing the pooling tears down her cheeks. Charles. Him. She knew why he was here. She considered and decided she wanted him there. She would bring him into this if he wanted to come. She needed comfort…not just an ear to listen and maybe he could be that to her now. She turned her head only slightly to acknowledge him but she didn't answer.

"May I come in?" He questioned cautiously.

"Of course." She sniffed and ran her handkerchief across her nose.

He realized she is crying and his heart constricted in literal pain, his breath caught up in his throat before clearing it. "I…uh…." He stammered.

"…you….saw Dr. Clarkson leave…" she stated and then turned in her chair.

Charles' face fell at the sight of her sadness. "I…did…" he closes the door behind him. He crosses the small space between them in two steps and in a rare, unprecedented move, he bends and gets on one knee to be eye level with her. "Elsie…." His hands are shaking just a bit, she notices, and watches them move to her and gather her hands into his. "I want to know…." He bows his head and takes a deep breath.

Tears begin to stream steadily down her face and she rubs a thumb against the back of his hand, encouraging him. She knows him. She knows this is colossal. Her head is spinning with worry, fear, sadness, joy, desire. She has waited for him for so long, almost knowing how he felt about her but in her stubbornness would not be the aggressor.

"Please let me be here for you...whatever it is." His dark eyes rose to meet her shimmering blue orbs. She smiled slightly and reached her hand up to stroke his face. He was taken aback by this display of affection but didn't show it. He only leaned into her warm palm and closed his eyes against it. "Oh Elsie...what is it?" he questioned in a fearful and quiet tone.

"Cancer..." she breathes, barely above a whisper, yet her chests rises and sinks with every breath. His stomach turns over. "Oh God...oh Elsie...God..." Tears start to form in his own eyes and pulls her to him, still on bended knee. "I'm sorry...I've been such a fool not to come to you...I've known something was wrong."

"She runs her fingers through his thick hair. "Shhh..." she cries and pulls her up to him. "I've been a fool too."

They hold each other for a long while, no words, just holding on to each other for dear life. Finally, Elsie backs away and encourages him to stand. "Get off the floor, you're too old to be down there..." she chuckles through her sniffling and offers a steady hand.

Charles struggles to stand and winces when his knee pops rather loudly. He straightens his back and pulls his own handkerchief from his pocket and dabs at his eyes. He releases a heavy, sad and remorseful sigh. Elsie moves to the settee and pats the space beside her. "Come...sit." He joins her, moving his hand to rest on her knee without thinking, without hesitation, as if his hand on her knee was the most common and natural thing for him to do. It calmed her. She smiled at the gesture and soon covered it with her own. "Dr. Clarkson..." she begins quietly, "...says it will be several weeks before they know exactly but he and a colleague that specializes in...breast cancer...feel it is what I have." She lowered her eyes to hide the tears pooling again.

Charles turns to her, his mouth gaping open. He doesn't know what to say. His heart is racing and he feels a little dizzy. He closes his eyes again. "Elsie I'm sorry." his voice is almost desperate.

She takes his hands, lovingly in hers. "Charles, I'm not sure what is happening here...between you and me..." She lowers her gaze before continuing. "I'm glad you're here. I have wanted to tell you but I wasn't sure..." tears begin again.

"You weren't sure of...me?" he questions.

She raises her head, "I didn't want to bother you and until today, I thought everything was going to be okay..." she brings her fist to her lips to stifle her cries.

Charles gathers her to him once again. "It's going to be okay my love. I promise I'm going to be here and I'm going to take care of you!" he said with determination. He was overwhelmed, at this moment, with how much time he had wasted, how much had been lost. There was nothing to lose but her and that was not going to happen. "Elsie?" he pulled her away, strong hands firmly gripping her upper arms. "I've been a fool..."

She lays her head to the side and begins to interject, "Char..."

"No Elsie...let me finish." he takes her hands in his. "I've loved you..." tears light the brown orbs of his eyes. "I've loved you my dear...for as long as I can remember." That deep bass voice, usually smooth as butter, breaks as a tear escapes its boundary and runs down his cheek. She reaches to touch it with her fingertip and her own tears come fluidly. "I've let my pride, my foolish, stubborn pride stand in the way of telling you, showing you. My greatest regret will forever be the time I've lost with you. I don't want to waste any more time." He pauses and searches her watery eyes.

She says nothing, moves her fingertips over his lips and moves slowly toward him. Her swollen, wet lips, touch his ever so tenderly. They both allow the tears to fall freely, mingling together as their faces and lips touch. She continues to fondle his lips, cheek, chin with her fingers, her tongue finding his and caressing so gently and lovingly.

Charles was afraid he might pass out. He was dizzy with love and adrenaline, confusion and lust. His desire for her began to rise and he was suddenly on fire under his thick livery. The way she was touching him, his lips, her tongue, he had never imagined anything so sensual and certainly not know, this soon. He tried to think but it was futile. His brain would form a thought and immediately be annihilate when he realized what she was doing to him. "Oh Elsie..." he breathed heavily into her neck as she continued her exploration.

"Charles..." she whispered. "My...Charles..." she pulled him to her, his head still buried in her neck. "Charles..." she cried. "...closer...get closer..." Elsie suddenly could not get enough of him. "I need you...closer..." overwhelmed with love and exhaustion and relief, she broke down and let it all out. She sobbed against him.

Charles pulled her as close as he possibly could. "I'm here my love. I'm here..." he whispered. He had never imagined this, the way they had been pushed together. He had seen her cry through out the years for many reasons yet never for herself. He had witnessed a woman with a determined resolve and suit of armor to rival his own at times. In his years of fantasies and imaginings of them coming together, loving, needing one another, he had never imagined this. He was both scared and grateful for it. He wondered if he could be what she needed now.

Continued...

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