Edith threw the book into the fire not caring where it landed. Shortly after she threw it she smelt something burning and sat up in bed to see the carpet becoming consumed by fire. Instead of screaming or running from the room Edith held back a sob and pulled the picture from under her pillow curling up in her bed. She wanted to die. She couldn't handle the stress of her secret. She couldn't handle the loneliness she felt without her baby in her arms. So she lie in bed sobbing as the fire spread in her room. She heard a noise outside her door and heard it open. She tried to stop whoever entered the room but found she could no longer breathe. Her eyes fluttered shut with her hands clenching the photo as Thomas picked her up and carried her out of the room. The last thing she thought was that she wished she had told her mother the truth.

She woke up several minutes later and stared at the man in front of her. Thomas shook her slightly and sighed in relief as her eyes opened. Edith let out a sob as her mother grabbed her and held onto her crying in fear and relief. Edith couldn't believe it. She was alive. She didn't die. Maybe she had been given a second chance. Maybe she should confess to at least her mother about her darling babe. She mentally shook away those thoughts as she began to feel tried. She saw her father and sister approach them. Her father smiled at her while her sister rolled her eyes in annoyance. Edith leaned against her mother as she fell asleep.

The next day she woke up and panicked to find the photo no longer in her hands. She sat up and frantically looked around her. She then spotted her mother standing beside the bed holding the very picture she was looking for. She gasped as her mother looked at her quizzically. "Who is this?" Cora asked stiffly afraid of what her daughter's response would be. Edith let out a sob. "M-Marigold. My my baby girl!" She cried out. Cora bit her lip to keep from crying as she wrapped her daughter in her arms as she began to cry soothing out her baby's hair trying to comfort her. Her only thought was why hadn't Edith said anything before?

(I know it's short but let me know what you think. Thanks! This takes place in the 5th season episode 1. I do not own Downton Abbey no matter how many stars I wish upon. It belongs to Julian Fellows.)