Thank you so much for the immediate response to my first chapter! As my first successful (I hope!) fanfic, I love to hear your guys' feedback.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL SPOILERS!

Imagine your OTP driving home from a wedding of a mutual friend when a drunk driver crashes their vehicle into the driver's side; Person A is killed instantly on impact and Person B wakes up in the hospital after being in a coma for a few weeks. Disoriented and confused they beg the nursing staff where Person A is only to find out that they didn't make it.

Cora felt Robert's fingers curl around her gloved hand. She smiled softly, watching his face's expressions in the car's window. Exhausted but happy.

Dr. Richard Clarkson's and Cousin Isobel Crawley's wedding came out of nowhere. Of course the two had been working together in the hospital for almost ten years, but no one even saw it coming. Only Robert's mother scoffed at everyone, telling them that she saw it coming, of course. But it was great news. Finally something good arrived after Matthew's ill-fated car crash.

"Do you think it will last?" he mused under his breath, with a hint of amusement in his voice. He was wearing a smart suit with a flower pinned to his lapel, and he was glancing at his wife who sat on his left.

"Robert!" she exclaimed, shaking her head in mock-disapproval and eliciting a chuckle from him. She squeezed his hand and sighed, saying nothing more.

He let out a long breath as if he was holding it. "We lasted, didn't we, dear?" His blue eyes sparkled, the dappled sunlight filtering in through the windows of the sides of the car and lighting up his smile. It was probably his first genuine, unguarded smile ever since his son-in-law died.

"Please don't be so melodramatic, Robert." Cora rubbed his arm as they smiled tiredly together, and with a sigh she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

Only Robert saw the car coming.

Opening her eyes was harder than she could ever imagine. It drained every bit of the strength remaining out of her and left her almost breathless. At first, only darkness swirled before her, swamping her vision. But little punctures of light broke through, and a hazy, fuzzy world opened around her. Every single noise that approached her stiff ears sounded louder and hurt.

A foggy-looking Cousin Isobel in a nurse's clothing was looking down at here with rapt attention. The older woman seemed very worried and upset indeed, and she held Cora's hand as she started to slip back into the real world.

Cora opened her mouth as to say something, but nothing came out. She groaned quietly and shut her eyes again to welcome back the blackness, barely being able to comprehend her surroundings and her thoughts.

She woke again a few hours later to find that Cousin Isobel was still hovering over her with a jug of water sitting beside her. But this time, an eagle-eyed Dr. Clarkson studied her every movement, but a relieved smile tainted his lips. "Are you feeling all right?" he whispered as to not jolt Cora too much.

It took her a few moments to think and reply. "I believe..." she responded shakily and tentatively, surprising herself with the soreness of her own voice, "... so." She could just manage to swivel her eyes to the two people watching her.

"Cora," Cousin Isobel whispered softly, crouching beside her pillow and head. Usually she and Cora got along badly, but this time was different. Pain flooded Cousin Isobel's eyes and threatened to flow over. "Do you know what happened?" The nurse's voice came out cracked.

"Of course she doesn't," Dr. Clarkson shot back, but there was no sign of annoyance or anger in his tone. He seemed equally as subdued as Cousin Isobel, which confused Cora even more.

At once, all her words came rushing. "Why am I here?" Cora questioned, her voice wavering with growing confusion, "Why are you here instead of on your honeymoon? What happened?"

"Well," Dr. Clarkson began, closing the drawstrings to the drapes that enclosed the three and then turning back to her. It seemed as if there was a lot of weight on his stooping shoulders that now bent with exhaustion. "You were in a car crash."

Before Cora could argue or think over what he just said, Cousin Isobel put in, "You were on your way home from our wedding. A drunk man crashed into your car, killing your driver and injuring your internal organs and your hip."

No words could come out of Cora's mouth. She tried to remember, racking her sleepy mind for answers. "And - and - Robert?" she stammered as fear hit her, shooting her head up.

"Rest now," Cousin Isobel murmured while trying to push Cora back down, but even she looked like on the verge of tears.

"Where's Robert?" Cora choked out, staring in absolute horror and dread at the doctor and the nurse. "Where is my husband?!"

"- Cora." Dr. Clarkson was in pain, and his head was bent down, hiding his darkening face. "He is -"

"- Is he badly hurt?!" she begged. Cora started to fight with her weak arms, tears already breaking free from her eyes. "Tell me! Where is he?!" She tried to stand up, but the stabbing pain in her hip shot up and down her spine, forcing her to lay back in the hospital bed, gasping.

"I'm so sorry. So, so sorry." Cousin Isobel was squeezing her hand, her body shaking with a sob. "Robert - your husband - is gone."

Her stomach dropped and she just blinked, gaping. Wondering. "... What?" But it wasn't that she misheard. She knew what was said, but she just wanted her to say something else. Anything else.

The three were quiet, not saying a word. From somewhere else in the hospital, a baby let out a loud wail.

Yeah, I'm kind of a Richobel shipper, too. XD

Woooo, so much yummy cliche-ness. :P Bear with me guys, bear with me. The last sentence is a nod to another story. Forgot what it was. Something sci-fi related that I had to read in school?

Guest 2: Thank you for the correction! I must remember it now!

Thanks for reading and please review!