A/N: I can only sincerely apologise for the HUGE delay in updating this! I have been up to my eyes in work and haven't been able to take much time for myself. It could be a lot better, I know, but I felt I had to update something while I had the chance!

1.

Mrs Hughes paused in front of the door for a few seconds before entering Mr Carson's bedroom. You've had to do worse now just get in there, she told herself.

"Good evening, Mr Carson," She smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Mrs Hughes…" He tried to speak.

She waved her hand at him, "Please sit up so you can have your medicine."

"Mrs Hughes…"

"Please just sit up, Mr Carson."

"Mrs Hughes, will you jus-"

"I know that you want to get out of bed but you won't be able to unless you ha-"

He raised his voice, "Elsie!"

The use of her first name shocked her into silence. She looked at him, expecting to see an expression of anger but was met by his warm eyes and sympathetic smile.

"Now I've got your attention, will you please tell me as to why you suddenly walked out of here the other day and why I haven't seen you since?"

Mrs Hughes was still speechless. He took her hand, willing her to speak to him but only shocked her even more.

He laughed at the situation, "I didn't realise I was capable of having such an impression on you, Mrs Hughes."

She snapped back to reality and raised an eyebrow at him, "There are a lot of things you don't realise, Mr Carson."

"But one of those things isn't when someone I think a lot of is clearly ill at ease." All the humour had escaped his voice.

Mr Carson squeezed Mrs Hughes' hand and suddenly, although she couldn't explain why, she felt very comfortable in his company again, like she always did when they were alone and so she began to talk to him.

"When you had a heart attack, her Ladyship came to inform me but before she could finish, I had left. I thought she was there to tell me you had…you had passed on and I couldn't cope with hearing it.

"When did you get back to the house?" He squeezed her hand once more.

"Not until late but Anna, the dear girl, waited up for me and gave me the shock of my life when she mentioned giving you your medicine."

"And that's why you were so emotional when you came to see me the next morning?"

Mrs Hughes just stared at their entwined hands and he knew that there was something else and he had a feeling what that something else was (or so he hoped) but he also knew that she was stubborn and her professional side would be arguing with her personal side, just like his used to but he had come to realise, since his heart attack, that life was too short to waste such wonderful opportunities.

"N-" Before Mrs Hughes could even get a word out, she was interrupted.

The two of them pulled away from the kiss, breathless.

"Is that why you were so emotional, Elsie?"

"Yes" was all she managed to say.

He pulled her into his arms.

"I thought that I'd never get to tell you, that we didn't have a chance anymore,"

He kissed her forehead, "So why didn't you tell me that morning?"

She laughed, "When I got upset, I thought you were angry with me. I didn't realise you shared my feelings."

"There are a lot of things you don't realise, Mrs Hughes!" He smirked and kissed her again.

A/N: Hmm… I'm not sure whether to leave it there or carry on. What do you think? :)