A/N Hello! First of all, this is not ChelsieSouloftheAbbey. Well, not really. This is chelsie fan, writing this chapter. But this twelve-chapter project is a joint venture among ChelsieSouloftheAbbey, Chelsie Dagger, evitamockingbird, Hogwarts Duo, Kouw, and chelsie fan.

The theme, as you've guessed by now, is the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Each of us has written two chapters, but ChelsieSouloftheAbbey, whose brainchild this was, is posting the whole thing under her account. Please feel free to leave reviews here. We can all read the reviews and respond via PM.

So here's a little early gift from us to you. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve, 1925; Downton Abbey, butler's pantry

The party in the servant's hall was still going strong, but the Carsons had excused themselves early, because they wanted to spend time alone in their cottage before it got too late and they were too exhausted to enjoy themselves. They now stood in Charles's pantry, coats on, hats and gloves in hand, ready to depart.

"Do you remember where we were a year ago at this time – and what we were doing then?" Charles asked, a smile blooming on his face and a pleasant memory warming his heart.

"Need you ask? How could I forget?" replied Elsie, whose face also sported a fond smile. "We were right here." She paused to take his hat and gloves from him and to set them on his desk, along with her own. Then she returned and stood facing her husband. "As I recall, you'd just told me that you'd registered the house in both our names. I was afraid you pitied me, so I told you I couldn't accept your generosity."

He continued the story. "But then I told you it wasn't generosity or pity. I told you it was because I loved you with all my heart."

His wife chuckled at that. "I don't recall those words, exactly, darling. There was something about being stuck with me and not marrying anyone else."

"It was all I could muster at that point," he said in his own defense. "I was frightened to death!"

"I understood your meaning well enough," she assured him.

"And you accepted my proposal," he went on, "and told me you loved me, too."

Elsie laughed again. "You have rather a skewed recollection of events, my dear. There was no talk of love. I believe I called you an 'old booby.'"

"But I understood your meaning well enough," he responded, echoing her words from a moment earlier. "And then, as I recall, I took you in my arms and kissed you senseless, just like this." Charles demonstrated by pulling his wife to him and eagerly pressing his lips to hers.

She lifted her hands to his chest and giggled against his lips. "Charles Carson, you did no such thing!"

"That's how I remember it," he insisted. "And I held you close … and told you how beautiful you are … and how happy you make me … and I whispered all sorts of endearments and sweet nonsense in your ear." His words we punctuated with kisses to her cheek, jaw, and neck. "And then you told me I was the handsomest, most charming, sweetest man you'd ever met … how you'd fallen in love with me at first sight … and how much you adored me."

"That is not at all what happened," argued Elsie with a broad grin, as she enjoyed his attentions.

"Well … that's how it happened in my mind," he admitted, drawing back slightly. "And that's how I wanted it to play out."

"I would have preferred that, too," she agreed. "I can't even begin to tell you how I stood there cursing those blasted cups of punch we were holding! As it was, I could only reach out and touch your arm, but I ached for so much more. I had all I could do not to throw my arms about your neck and weep for joy."

"I wish you had!" Charles shook his head. "What a pair we are, hm? But thank Heaven we got there in the end."

"Yes, we did. And here we are. Look at us now: happily married and ready to spend our first Christmas together in our new home," observed Elsie.

"Blissfully … ecstatically … rapturously … euphorically … married," he amended, once again alternating his words and insistent kisses.

"Mr. Carson, if you're going to kiss me like that, I suggest you take me home at once!" she warned. "I find our marriage is much more blissful, ecstatic, rapturous, and euphoric when we're alone."

Ten minutes later, after an exchange of good nights and Happy Christmases with the staff in the servants' hall and a short, chilly, moonlit stroll down the lane to their cottage, the Carsons arrived home, unbundled themselves from their outer garments, and removed their shoes. Charles turned on the electric lights on their small Christmas tree, lit some candles, and built a fire in the hearth in the sitting room, while Elsie went to the kitchen to heat some milk for hot chocolate. After the fire was roaring and the hot chocolate was ready, the couple sat cuddled together on the sofa, enjoying the warmth coming from the blaze in the fireplace, their steaming mugs of hot chocolate, and each other.

"I never imagined it, Elsie – that I could be so happy," Charles remarked. "From the moment you said 'yes' a year ago, I haven't stopped beaming with joy. I'm sure everyone could tell the moment we returned to the party upstairs what had happened between us. My foolish grin must have given us away instantly."

"Well, perhaps not on its own, but coupled with my own radiant smile, it was undoubtedly very telling," added Elsie. "I'm sure we made our new understanding perfectly obvious."

"Certainly no one was surprised when we announced it," he commented.

"No, indeed!" she said, laughing. "It seems I was the only one who was utterly shocked that you'd proposed."

He shared her teasing mirth. "Not as surprised as I was that you'd accepted me!"

Elsie's face took on a wistful glow in the firelight. "I'll never forget the tension in your face before I accepted – nor your look of surprise after I agreed. Did you honestly think I could ever refuse you?"

"Honestly, yes. I truly feared you might, and I would have been devastated," admitted Charles. "And I'll never forget the shock on your face just after I asked. Did you really think I never would?"

"Truly, Charles, I did. I thought we'd both go on as we had been. I imagined we'd never be anything more than colleagues and dear friends, and that thought saddened me greatly, particularly when you spoke of retirement. I knew I could never retire, and I feared you would." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I didn't know how I would survive without you."

"Oh, Elsie!" he exclaimed, almost in tears. "I couldn't bear it any longer. For a time, I was content being your colleague and your friend. But then I realized I wanted more. I so enjoyed being with you: our time alone in the evenings, our little chats over sherry or port. My time with you was the highlight of my day. But I longed to hold you, to kiss you, to tell you of my love, to call you my mine. At the end of every day, after bidding you good night, I would go up to my lonely room in the men's quarters and think of nothing but how I'd much rather take you home each night – to our home – to sit with you by the fire, to get comfortable and grow sleepy, to take you bed – to our bed – to sleep all night with you in my arms, and to wake next to you in the morning. I wanted it so much I could taste it. I had to ask, even if you refused me. If there was even the smallest chance that you might love me, too, it was worth the risk."

"Well, it so happens I do love you, too, and I didn't refuse you. And here we are … in our own home … sitting on our own sofa … by the fire in our own hearth … wrapped in each other's arms." Elsie's words were interspersed with kisses and caresses. "Charles, I think it's time for you to take me to our own bed."

"I couldn't agree more, my love." Charles was only too willing to oblige her.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Christmas morning, 1925; the Carsons' cottage

Elsie rolled over to kiss her husband's cheek. "Good morning, love, and Happy Christmas!"

"The very happiest Christmas ever! My first one with my beautiful wife in our own home." Charles returned his wife's kiss.

"The first of many," she predicted.

"You know, we're not needed at the house this morning," he reminded her. "We're not expected until servants' luncheon and the party. Whatever shall we do with ourselves?"

"Oh, I have a few ideas … " Elsie suggested as she rolled herself on top of Charles.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" he asked hopefully.

"Why don't I show you, hm?" she said as she nuzzled closer to him and began to demonstrate precisely what she had in mind, much to their mutual delight.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Christmas night, 1925; the Carsons' cottage

After an exhausting day filled with much celebration and great happiness among their loved ones at the big house, Elsie and Charles once again found themselves snuggled together on their couch in front of a crackling fire. They'd already exchanged gifts, a few each, mostly small things, but this year their gifts were far more personal: perfume and decorative hair clips for her, a new shaving kit and new pajamas for him. But Charles pulled one more, small, wrapped box from his pocket and handed it to Elsie.

Elsie frowned in confusion. "You've already given me my gifts. What's this?" she wanted to know.

"Nothing much, in itself," he told her. "It's more a promise than anything. Go ahead and open it."

She tore apart the paper and opened the box to reveal a delicate Christmas ornament.

"It's a partridge in a pear tree. Like the song," Charles explained.

"It's lovely, Charles, and it will look beautiful on our tree," she said, holding it up appreciatively to examine it. "Thank you. But you spoke of a promise."

He nodded. "I did. As your 'true love,' I've got a lot of work to do and many years of catching up. But like the ardent suitor in the song, I vow to spend the rest of my life devoted to your happiness, providing you with everything you need, giving you everything I possibly can. This is not only 'the first day of Christmas;' it's our first Christmas as husband and wife. This is just the beginning, Elsie. I promise to lavish you with my love and attention from now on. Just like the gifts in the song, my love for you will increase daily." As he made his earnest declaration, tears sprang to his eyes.

"Oh, Charles! How did I ever manage it?" She shook her head in wonder her eyes also grew moist.

"Manage what?" he asked with a creased brow.

"How did I ever manage to work by your side for so all those years without ever throwing myself into your arms?"

He chuckled at that. "Very easily. Most of the time, I was a right curmudgeon!"

"Nonsense! You've always been a darling. You sometimes hid that fact very well, but I always knew."

"Well, I'm not hiding it anymore. Never again. I'll always be your darling," Charles proclaimed proudly.

"Happy Christmas, my darling man!" Elsie offered as she carefully set the ornament aside and kissed him soundly.

"Happy Christmas, my love!" he whispered against her lips between kisses.

And it was, in fact, a very happy Christmas.