A/N This idea has been sitting in my computer for a few months now. I think I've finally got all the little pieces put together to form a coherent story. I got this idea from Mistressdickens who posted a list of quotes on Tumblr for a Downton Canon prompt challenge. I'll be using a few of them for this story. This is going to be about 4 or 5 short chapters that I plan to post every other day.

"I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible."

John Steinbeck, East of Eden

C&E

The fear that filled his eyes as she told him of her discovery nearly broke her. She had been holding in her own fear since she had felt the solid object beneath her skin. She had wanted to be strong for him. She didn't want him to hurt. He had already been through enough in the past year- his shaking hands, his forced retirement. This...this wasn't fair.

"Are you certain?" he asked helplessly. Slowly Elsie placed Charles's hand to the small lump in her breast. She knew the exact moment he felt it. He let out a strained gasp. "Oh, Elsie…"

Elsie cupped his face in her hands wiping away his tears. She pulled him down to place a lingering kiss to his lips that tasted painfully of salt. "We'll be all right, Charlie."

C&E

"You were right to come to me, Mrs. Carson, Mr. Carson," Dr. Clarkson nodded at them across his desk. Elsie felt Charles stiffen beside her and reassuringly squeezed his hand that had gripped hers since he had been allowed back into the room after the doctor's examination. "There is indeed a mass in Mrs. Carson's left breast and I would like to take another biopsy like we did last time."

Dr. Clarkson continued to speak of their options but Elsie had ceased to listen. Her worst fear was coming true. She had been so relieved the last time her tests had come back negative, but she had still been wary of the lump coming back. She had regularly checked herself to make sure of its absence. She hadn't been as diligent as she should have been since she had married Charles. Her happiness had almost made her forget that such things could happen.

Elsie was brought back to the room by the rumble of her husband's voice. "So you think it will be benign like the last time?"

Dr. Clarkson spread his hands over the papers in front of him before answering. "I believe so. It's not uncommon for a woman with a history of cysts to develop them again. We won't know for certain until the tests come back, but I think there is a greater likelihood of this mass being benign rather than cancerous."

Elsie entered the conversation for the first time since they had all set down. "Can the biopsy be done today?"

C&E

They were lying in the dark pressed closely together. Charles was holding her so tight it was almost unbearable, but Elsie let him. He needed this closeness. If she were honest, she needed it, too. Charles had made love to her slowly, gently, showing her his love as he whispered it in her ears. She had kissed him as a woman drowning, wanting, needing to get lost in him. And afterwards, he had clung to her. What they had thought would be their future had suddenly become clouded and they needed the reassurance of the other's presence.

They had two months of terrible uncertainty before the results of her test came back and they will know if she will live or not. Elsie thinks this time is worse than the last. She has Charles to think of now. She had him before, but now… Now he is her heart and she is his. How can she ever bear to be separated from him?

"Promise me you won't leave me," Charles whispers fiercely, squeezing her impossibly tighter. "Please don't ever leave me, Elsie."

"I could never."