Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or messaged me. I really appreciate it. I'm glad I'm back in the groove and writing again. I have had more time than usual the last few days so have been able to update more regularly than normal. I'm not sure the next chapter will be as quick, but I'll try to do my best to be as timely as possible. Hope you enjoy the next installment...

"Dr. Hughes, it's time," Anna said as she peeked into Elsie's office.

Elsie looked up from the chart she was reading, looked at the clock, and then to Anna. "Indeed it is," she said, closing the folder and standing up. "Are the kids all assembled?" she asked as she moved from behind her desk.

"They are," Anna replied. "I finished up with Benedict Smith. Just a nasty cold, as it happens, which is a relief," Anna explained.

"Thank you for that," Elsie said as they walked down the corridor. "Your two-year fellowship is almost at its end. You aren't going to up and leave me when it's over now, are you?" she asked pointedly. Having Anna as her physician's associate fellow the past year or so had been a blessing from God. She was extremely capable, a gift to her profession. Having her had allowed Elsie to spend more time with patients and time on research, which was important to their profession.

"Of course not," Anna said. "I know you couldn't live without me now," she said with a smirk. "And besides, I really like Downton. It feels more like a home to me than any other place ever has, to be honest."

"Ha!" Elsie exclaimed. "I'm guessing that's down to a tall, dark someone or other," Elsie commented.

Anna giggled in a girlish way. "Well, yes, that. But also this place, this environment. It's a great place to work. Not to mention my boss. I mean she is demanding at times, but…" At that comment Elsie playfully elbowed Anna and they both laughed.

"Well," Elsie said, "I'm glad to hear it. At the end of the month when your fellowship has ended, we'll sit down and discuss terms for your permanent placement." She stopped, turned to face Anna, and said wholeheartedly, "And you're right, I can't live without you now!" She smiled and gave Anna a hug. "Okay, here we go," she said as they walked into the foyer of the paediatric unit.

All of the young patients were sitting around in their hospital gowns. Some had IV machines with them, some were in wheelchairs, some had masks on their faces. They were accompanied by nurses and medical assistants. When Elsie and Anna walked in, they all got excited. Small voices shouted, "Dr. Hooos! Anna!" Elsie and Anna laughed and went to stand in front of the baby grand piano. Oftentimes musicians or performers would donate their time to play for the children to bring them smiles and joy during their stay in the hospital. Today, Elsie had arranged for a magician and balloon man to come in to entertain the children.

Elsie said, "Okay my young lads and lasses, quiet down," she waited while she got their full attention. "We have a wonderful guest for you today. May I introduce the Marvelous Maestro to you!" The children all clapped and shared excitement as the magician came on.


"All right my lads and lasses," Elsie said, "Let's give one last round of applause for the Marvelous Maestro!" She clapped along with the children as the magician took his final bow.

As he was walking away, one of the patients, a five-year-old little girl named Melody, who was clearly undergoing chemotherapy, clutching on to a stuffed unicorn said, "Wainbow, Dr. Hooos, Wainbow," she waited a moment for Elsie to make eye contact with her before she said, "Pwease?" How could Elsie say no to that?

"Okay, Melody, since you asked so nicely." Elsie looked over to Anna, who smirked, and then she made her way to sit down at the piano.


Charles was frantically trying to get to his appointment, but the weather had impeded his flight and now he was rushing into the doors of the hospital. He just made it onto the lift as the doors were about to close. "Sorry everyone," he said to those who were on the lift already. As it ascended, he took a deep breath and looked at his watch. His appointment was in twenty minutes. He always liked to be at least half an hour ahead of time, so to him, he was late. Quite suddenly, the lift doors opened and he got out, followed by two other people. He looked around and just as he realized that he was on the wrong floor, the lift doors closed without enough time for him to catch them. He took a deep, frustrated breath and pushed the button for the lift to come again.

As he took a deep breath to get his bearings, her heard the sound of applause and then the notes of a piano. He looked around and saw that there was some kind of an event happening in the foyer around the corner. He looked at the sign next to the lift that said 'Paediatric Unit'. As he was reading it, he heard the sound of a melodic voice singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." It sounded beautiful and he felt as if it was pulling him in. He turned the corner and what he saw was breathtaking. A group of children of all ages, sitting around either in wheelchairs or on couches, all in hospital gowns, many holding balloon animals, were completely entranced by the person who was playing the piano and singing. When he looked up, the vision he saw was intoxicating. There she was, his own heartsong, playing the piano and singing to the children. Her voice alone gave him a warm feeling all over and made his heart flutter. He was spellbound not only by her performance, but by the way the children were so engaged. She played the piano beautifully as she sang, "Someday I wish upon a star, wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me. Somewhere, over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh why can't I?" Then, Elsie looked at the children, and then nodded to Anna, who prompted the children with her hands to join in, and they all did excitedly, "If happy little bluebirds fly, beyond the rainbow, Why, oh why can't I?" Charles couldn't help himself. Hearing those sweet little voices, along with Elsie's, was beautiful. Just as she was finishing the last notes of the song on the piano, Elsie looked at the children and then noticed the tall imposter standing behind them. Her facial expression never changed, but she did blush, and any piano aficionado would recognize the fact that she slipped on one of the notes. When she finished, everyone in the room clapped; children, nurses, adults alike. The loudest of the applause, however, came from a one Charles Carson. Gosh, he thought he admired Elsie Hughes before, but seeing this, what she did for these children to brighten up their day, was amazing, and he couldn't love her more than he did at that very moment.

Elsie stood up from the piano and said to everyone, "All right, children. Back to your rooms for some rest! You must rest, rest, rest, and that's doctor's orders!" she said. As she began to walk away, Charles noticed a little girl in a wheelchair reach out and grab Elsie's hand. Elsie proceeded to crouch next to the girl and he heard her say, "Thank you, Dr. Hooos," with the sweetest smile on her face.

Elsie clearly had affection for this young patient. She replied, "Of course, Melody. Now, you need to do me a favor and go rest. You must get your strength up so that we can beat the heck out of this cancer, okay?" Melody simply nodded and Elsie squeezed her hand and then tapped her little nose with her index finger. "Now that's a good girl. I'll see you in a little bit." At that, the nurse took Melody's wheelchair and pushed it down the corridor.

Elsie stood up and walked over to Charles. "Well, Mr. Carson, to what do I owe this intrusion, catching me out in a vulnerable moment?" Charles knew she was being sly by the look on her face.

"Elsie, you were magnificent," he said, holding her gaze and trying to show her how impressed he was with her talents. "I didn't know you could sing like that and the kids, they were all so focused. You have the voice of an angel," he said, singing her praises.

"I'd hardly say that," Elsie said, shaking her head. "But let's not focus on me, what about you, Charles? What brings you here?"

That question snapped Charles back into reality. "Oh, geez," he said. "I have an appointment and in my haste to get here on time-late flight due to this weather," he added, "I wasn't paying attention and got off on the wrong floor. By the time I realized I couldn't catch the lift before the doors closed. And then...I was summoned by the voice of a siren, luring me over," he said, smiling. "And now," he checked his watch, "I am near officially late and I hate being late," he said.

"A siren I am not," Elsie replied, "but where are you headed? Perhaps I can walk with you and maybe use my connections to get you a reprieve?" she asked earnestly.

He hesitated. If he told her, that would open up a line of questioning he wasn't sure he wanted to open up. This was a very private part of him, and he had a hard time sharing. However, if he didn't he knew there would be even more questions later, so he decided to trust her and said evenly, if quietly, "To see Dr. Clarkson, in plastic surgery."

To say the least, Elsie was very surprised, however she didn't miss a beat for fear of embarrassing him, so she said, "Ah, Richard! A fellow Scot and very good friend. I'll walk you down and make sure he doesn't penalize you, so to speak." She smiled as she said it and began walking. They took the stairs up two floors and then opened the door to the corridor. Charles walked along with her and she changed the subject completely. "So, this wedding next week, what's the deal? Black tie, cocktail, or casual?" she asked.

God, he loved this woman. At a moment where he was feeling extremely vulnerable, she had a way of changing the subject and making him feel at ease. "Black tie," he replied, his pulse evening out. "Is that okay?" he asked.

"I'm sure I can rustle something up," Elsie said as she opened the door to the Plastic Surgery clinic. "Hello Jayne," she said to the girl at the front desk. "My friend Mr. Carson has an appointment with Dr. Clarkson and I'm afraid I've held him up. I'm so sorry," Elsie said as she turned and winked at Charles, who was admiring her from a couple feet away.

"No problem at all, Dr. Hughes," Jayne said, "we'll get him in right away. Mr. Carson," she said, handing him a clipboard, "if you'd just review these documents and make sure nothing has changed, then we'll get you right in." Charles took the clipboard and turned to Elsie.

"I can't thank you enough, Elsie," he said.

Elsie smiled at him as she put her hand up and squeezed his arm. "No problem at all. I hope everything goes well." She started to walk away and she said, "See you next week."

"Indeed," Charles said, watching her walk out of the clinic. He stood there, not moving, until Jayne cleared her throat and he was struck out of his reverie. He went to sit down in the waiting area to review the paperwork, but his mind kept going to the gorgeous auburn-haired angel with the beautiful voice.

As Elsie walked back down to the paediatric unit, she couldn't help but wonder why Charles had an appointment in the plastic surgery clinic? She certainly hoped it wasn't to change any of his handsome features that she loved looking at. It would be a violation of her license to go snooping in the computer to find out, and honestly, it would go against her own integrity to do so. She just hoped that Charles Carson would come clean to her, sooner or later. And she was willing to wait. The feeling she got when she looked up and saw him watching her, when their eyes connected, the butterflies in her stomach...that was enough to tell her that regardless of how Charles seemed to think they were only friends, he was wrong. She was willing to put in the time to prove it to him, one way or the other.