A/N: Here's another chapter for you guys! I hope everyone is enjoying this fic. I know that the last few chapters have been kind of tense and angsty, but the end could be a lot nearer than you think. Let me know what you guys think!

When things become too overwhelming and twisted, how can Cora and Robert's marriage survive? How can they forgive each other when all they feel is sadness and anger? And what does a tragic accident teach them?

Chapter 25: Before It's Too Late

It had been a restless night.

Cora sat in her assigned bedroom at the Burwoods' residence, her breakfast on a tray in front of her. But she didn't feel like eating.

Hesitantly looking to her left, Cora saw the neat and untouched side of the bed. Her heart clenched and she covered her mouth as more sobs threatened to erupt.

Biting her lip, Cora carefully picked the tray up from her lap and set it aside. Sighing a shaky breath, she leaned back against the headboard and closed her tired and sore eyes.

She had spent a better part of the night crying rather than sleeping.

The night before, after their car had broken down, Branson had been able to find someone to contact the Burwoods. The family then sent their chauffeur, Barren, to retrieve Lord and Lady Grantham. Branson was sent back to Downton, the Burwoods promising that Barren would take Robert and Cora home in the morning.

Thankfully they had been rescued from the cold barn and the awful situation they had found themselves in. They had arrived quite late for dinner, though. And golly what an awkward and stressful dinner that had been.

As the memories of the dinner came back to Cora, she felt the first hint of a headache. She sighed again, turning to look at the empty side of the bed. Slowly, she allowed her hand to fall from her lap and move to rest over the empty spot. Her fingers felt the flat, soft bed covering.

She missed him...

But he had betrayed her!

Cora swallowed back a sob that threatened to break loose. How had she allowed everything to get this far? How had she been so blind to his unhappiness?

But how could he have allowed himself to do what he did? Why didn't he just confront her and tell her how he really felt, instead of just holding it in?

Cora let her head fall back against the headboard with a thud, her eyes closed tightly.

How had her life crumbled before her eyes in such a short amount of time?

Robert stood near the front doors of the Burwoods' large home. It wasn't anywhere close to the size of Downton, but it was grand and charming in its own way.

Lord Burwood stood beside him, making small talk. But Robert couldn't find it in himself to truly pay attention. His thoughts were overrun with Cora. He was waiting for her to descend the stairs so that they could leave.

They would be stuck in a car together for a lengthy ride, and that terrified him. The whole situation terrified him. And he couldn't stop kicking himself over the whole matter.

Suddenly Cora seemed to appear at the bottom of the stairs. Robert had been staring right through her, lost in his thoughts. When he did realize she was there, it was too late.

She averted her gaze from him, her lips set in a sad frown. Her dark purple hat atop her beautiful dark curls hid her face slightly, and Robert couldn't truly read her expression. Even as Cora walked to stand beside him, though keeping a distance between them, he couldn't read her. She had replaced her frown with a smile, though he could tell it was a forced one.

Lady Burwood suddenly appeared beside her husband, the women suddenly getting a knack for appearing instantly.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I'm so terribly sorry about the inconvenience of last night and now this morning," Cora spoke, her voice hoarse and quiet.

"Oh, no, dear. It's no trouble," Lady Burwood spoke with a smile, putting a hand on Cora's arm. Cora offered a slightly pained smile, making Robert feel even worse.

"Thank you for the stay and the drinks," Robert said, giving Lord Burwood as much of a smile as he could muster. The other man smiled and nodded

"It was a pleasure, as always. We hope to see both of you here again soon. It's really been too long," Lord Burwood said in his friendly manner. Robert nodded numbly.

"Well...we had best be off," he said slowly, looking at Cora. She chanced a small glance, but quickly looked away.

The other couple nodded and smiled, saying their goodbyes as both Robert and Cora walked to the car. Barren opened the door for them and they climbed into the backseat, sitting on complete opposite ends.

As the door closed, Robert looked towards Cora. She was turned away from him, looking intently out her window.

He sighed. This was going to be a long ride.

They had been driving for a while. In fact, Robert knew they were almost home. And they hadn't said a word to each other.

But the tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Turning to look at Cora, Robert saw she was still turned away from him. But he saw her hand go to her face, quickly wiping at her cheek. She was still very upset. And with good reason. Robert sighed, looking down at his feet. He was a selfish, weak fool. He was a terrible husband for doing what he did to her. He loved her and he hurt her.

Looking back up at her, Robert saw her hands were now clasped tightly together in her lap. He desperately wanted to take hold of them. Looking back to her face, still turned away from him, Robert frowned sadly.

He needed to hear her voice. He needed to speak to her.

"Cora..." Robert called softly. She tended at his voice, but didn't turn. He sighed. "Cora, we need to talk about this."

There was a pause, in which he could hear Cora trying to control her breathing.

"Not now," she spoke in a whisper. He could hear the tears in her voice, and he saw her hand raise to her cheeks again.

"We must. What are we going to do when we arrive home?" he asked, his voice still gentle and cautious. He heard Cora let out a shaky sigh, her face still turned away from him.

"We go about as usual. Act as if nothing happened," she answered numbly. Robert frowned and his brows furrowed. He didn't want that at all. He wanted things to get better, not stay the same.

"So things will stay the same? You will continue to busy yourself and I will continue to wallow in guilt...none of our problems will have changed," he spoke, his voice still low so that Barren wouldn't hear the conversation, but his tone was laced with frustration. Perhaps a little too much frustration.

Cora finally turned to face him, her brows furrowed and an angry look in her eyes.

"No," she said insistently, but then her eyes softened to one of uncertainty. "Maybe...I don't know, Robert. I don't know where to go from here."

Robert looked at her slightly exasperatedly.

"Up. The only way now is up. And to do that, we need to work things out."

"But how?!" she asked in a quiet but desperate whisper, her hands opening up in her lap and giving him a helpless gesture. "How can I trust you? How can I forgive you? Robert, you've hurt me more than I can describe."

"And you haven't hurt me?" he asked before he could stop himself. Cora looked taken aback.

"Yes, I'm hurting too, Cora," he said frustratedly. "I hurt because of what I did. But I hurt also because you don't seem to care about me the way you used to. I won't make excuses for what I did. I know that I am a weak man, and that mingled with the loneliness and uselessness I felt...it ruined me. I did something I never thought I'd ever do."

Cora frowned.

"What you did was far different than—"

"No. It was much worse than what you did...but it wasn't entirely different, Cora. Both of us hurt each other and our marriage—"

"Robert—"

"And we are both still hurting each other!" Robert finished in a hushed but fierce voice. Cora stared at him, her lips parted but words not coming out. She felt more tears gathering in her eyes. He was right.

She had hurt him. But he had hurt her too in such a drastic way.

How could she forgive him of that? It made her hurt, it made her guilty, it made her terribly sad, and it made her angry. She couldn't get past those emotions, and she didn't think anything could push them away.

She needed to get away.

"Barren!" Cora suddenly called sharply. The chauffeur jumped in his seat, but his eyes flicked to the mirror to look at her.

"Yes, My Lady?" he asked dutifully. Robert watched in confusion as Cora gathered her coat around her.

"Please stop the car," Cora directed him. The man looked confused but nodded and did as he was told.

"Cora," Robert called, watching her grip the door handle and push the door open. "Cora. Cora, stop!"

Cora continued to ignore Robert, stepping out of the car and immediately slamming the door behind her. Without looking behind her, she walked away from the car. She knew the rest of way home and it wasn't that far of a walk.

As she got further from the car, Cora half expected to hear the sound of the door opening again and Robert chasing after her. But she didn't hear anything. Stopping, Cora chanced a look over her shoulder. Robert sat in the seat that she had, and stared at her through the window. His blue eyes looked confused, sad, angry...she wasn't sure. It was a mixture of emotion. But he didn't come after her. And with a frown, Cora turned and walked away.

Robert watched as Cora retreated from the car. He didn't know what to do. Looking to Barren, who awaited his order, Robert slowly nodded and cleared his throat.

"Continue on," he said, his eyes returning to watch Cora's form walking away from him. The car lurched forward and pulled back onto the road.

Robert sighed, covering his eyes with his hand as he leaned his elbow against the window. She left him. And he didn't go after her. But was it worth it to fight this fight?

Robert kicked himself the moment that thought entered his mind. Of course it was.

The first time he told Cora he loved her was worth it. The times Cora told him she was pregnant and the unmeasurable love he had felt was worth it. The many nights filled with love and sweet conversation, the quiet moments in the library when they could snuggle and read together, the millions of walks they had taken together...all were worth it.

Robert sighed, clenching his jaw against the pain in his heart.

The quiet moments when it was just the two of them, the sound of her American accent, the feeling of her soft hands on his cheeks and his chest and in his own hands, her tinkling laughter and giggles, the feeling of her lips on his...all worth it.

Robert finally uncovered his eyes, running his hand down his face and over his mouth. He looked out the window at the moving scenery as he came to one solid conclusion.

He had to do something before it was too late.

As Cora continued walking, she could still hear the car driving away. She wasn't far from the road, and she continued on her path to take her away from it.

The tears were slowly trickling down her cheeks now, her hand rising to wipe them away. But new tears just replaced the ones she wiped.

She let out a long, shaky breath. What was she going to do? Robert was right. She had hurt him. And he had hurt her.

Guilt pricked her heart and yet she also felt a heart wrenching sadness. How could he have gone so far as to betray her in that way?

Cora stared at the ground as she walked, her hand remaining on her cheek to wipe the constant stream of tears.

She wanted to forgive him. And she wanted to be forgiven.

But how could she move past what he did? It hurt her deeply. It cut her to her core.

It seemed nothing could extinguish the feelings of sorrow, anger, grief, frustration, or anguish. When they all mixed together, they became too powerful. She couldn't control them, and she feared nothing would help her.

With a soft sob, Cora wrapped one arm around her middle while her other hand went to cover her mouth.

The only thing that brought her any source of comfort was remembering the times before this terrible nightmare. Her mind wandered through those times.

She remembered the overwhelming happiness she had felt when Robert first told her that he loved her. She remembered the passion and love that followed. She remembered being so nervous to tell him when she first became pregnant with Mary, but then he wouldn't stop kissing her as soon as she told him the news. She remembered the overwhelming happiness with each announcement of her pregnancy. She remembered him holding their tiny baby girls in his large hands. She remembered the many picnics with their daughters that they enjoyed, and the kisses that Robert would steal from her while the girls were distracted. She remembered the long walks along paths on the estate and kisses they shared on hidden paths. She remembered the way she felt in his arms, warm and secure. She remembered the way his lips and his hands felt on her, cherishing and loving her.

As a soft breeze bushed her cheek, Cora swore it felt like Robert brushing her cheek with the back of his fingers, as had been a habit of his. She swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she remembered the feeling once again. She remembered the sound of his voice when they were alone, low and gentle. She remembered the way he sounded as they laid beside each other in bed and he told her he loved her.

The memories continued to flood her mind. And to her surprise, Cora found herself almost smiling. She could clearly remember the times in which she felt Robert's overpowering love, and when she thought of those times, she found that she didn't feel the sadness or anger quite so strongly. In fact, she hardly felt it at all.

All those feelings were being broken down and replaced by love from those good memories...and the desperate need to reconcile her love now.

Cora opened her eyes, feeling the pull for Robert. She loved and needed him, and he felt the same about her. That's how she would forgive him. That's how she would ask for forgiveness in return. That's how they would move on...

Feeling a fresh renewal of energy, Cora stopped and took in her surroundings. If she turned to the right, she could cut across the field and meet the car at the road. She'd have to hurry though.

Without hesitation, Cora picked up her skirt and began running. She had to get to him. She had to fix it now, before it was too late.

She hurried, running through the long grass. She desperately hoped that she wouldn't miss the car or Robert. She had the strongest feeling that she needed to get to him.

Suddenly, the most sickening sound filled the air.

Crash!

Boom!

Cora stopped quickly in shock as the crashing sound, followed by an explosion shattered the once silent countryside. Looking towards the road she had been running to, Cora saw a plume of black smoke raising into the air.

Her heart stopped. Robert.

Suddenly, Cora leaped into action. She ran even faster than before, her legs carrying her across the field quickly. But time felt as if it were moving in slow motion. The anxious minutes of not knowing felt like hours.

No, no, no, rang in her mind as she approached the road.

When she stepped out of the field, passing through the line of trees that followed the road, she nearly fell to the ground. Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in shock and fear.

There, on the side of the road corner, was the smoking, overturned vehicle of the Burwoods. A larger truck was also smoking, but still on the road. Behind it, another truck was parked. The trucks' passengers all stood outside, yelling and running about.

"Lady Grantham?" one called to her worriedly. But Cora didn't even notice.

Her world had just imploded. Her body was numb.

Her mind screamed his name over and over.

Robert!

As tears fell from her eyes, a sob came in a sharp gasp, waking her from her numb state. She smothered her mouth with a hand, sobbing into her fingers, and her other arm wrapped around her stomach tightly. She clutched at her middle, feeling as if she were going to be sick.

"No..." she sobbed, staring at the overturned car in flames. The men from the trucks were desperately trying to get to the inside of the car, but the flames licked at them when they tried to get close.

He was in there, her love was in there. And no one could get to him. He was gone. Cora sobbed, stumbling on her weak legs.

The last moments she had with him were spent fighting. And now he was gone. All those memories of love tore at her heart now, as grief and anguish struck her.

He was gone...

Cora sobbed, her legs finally feeling as though they would collapse beneath her. She stumbled the few steps to a nearby tree along the edge of the field and road, leaning against the rough bark for support.

"Oh, Robert..."

"Cora!"

Cora's head raised and she looked around at the sound of her name. She had sworn it sounded like...

"Cora!" came the voice from behind her. She whirled around, her eyes wide and desperate.

But her heart fluttered and she let out another sob of relief, covering her mouth as she smiled with overwhelming relief. For there he was, running towards her from the field she had just come through.

"Robert!" she cried breathily, her legs immediately springing to action and carrying her towards him. She didn't care that her purple dress caught on weeds or that mud covered her shoes. She needed to get to him.

Robert ran towards his wife, his heart pounding in his chest. He saw the clear relief on her face as she ran to meet him. In seconds, they met in the field. Robert stopped just before meeting her, but Cora didn't stop until she was in his arms.

She ran and threw herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around him as she buried her face into his neck. Robert wrapped his arms around her in response, and he held her tightly as she clutched to him. Cora held him as if she wanted their bodies to absorb one another.

Cora cried softly into his neck.

"Oh, Robert. My darling, you're alright," she whispered, squeezing him tighter. Robert inhaled deeply, squeezing his eyes shut as he took in everything about her in that moment. She smelled like jasmine and lilac, as she always had. She felt soft and warm against him, as she always had.

"I'm here, darling," he answered softly, rocking her gently in his arms.

"When I saw the car...I thought you were in it...I-I was so—" she broke off as she sobbed softly into him. Robert continued to hold her as she cried. He reluctantly loosened his embrace when he felt her beginning to pull away.

But Cora only pulled away slightly, just enough to look into his sad blue eyes. Her hands moved to rest on his chest.

"I-I thought I lost you," she finally said, salty tears still streaming down her cheeks. Robert sighed sadly, one of his hands raising to wipe away her tears.

"Cora, I will never leave you. You will never lose me...if you'll still have me," he added softly, his eyes looking down guiltily. Cora sniffled, watching his sorrow and guilt-filled expression. She moved her right hand to cup his cheek, guiding his gaze back to hers.

"I couldn't live without you, my love," she whispered truthfully. At her words, Robert smiled slightly. He covered her hand on his cheek with his own hand and turned his face to kiss her palm. Cora answered with a small smile.

"I forgive you, Robert...but we must change. We must fix our ways, darling. We must build our trust again," she said softly, her eyes very serious. Robert nodded his agreement, his eyes tearing up slightly.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you, Cora. I promise to never hurt you like this again. I am so sorry that I ever...that I ever..."

Cora watched as Robert trailed off, his emotions getting the best of him. He looked down again, his eyes watering and threatening to spill over. Cora watched her husband sadly.

"I know. And I'm sorry for being so distant and busy, for not making time for us...for you," she answered, gently caressing his cheek. Robert turned to kiss her hand again, closing his eyes as he did so.

"I want to fix our marriage, desperately I do," he whispered as he opened his eyes again. Cora looked up at him with hopeful and loving eyes.

"We must promise to make time for each other, Robert. And promise to be faithful and loving..." Cora said softly. "Robert, this is going to take time to heal. I don't think that everything will just go back to normal. It's going to take work on both our parts."

Robert nodded slowly.

"Cora, I promise that I will not make the same mistake twice. My darling, I'm a terribly foolish man for ever..." he trailed off again, unable to speak of it without becoming too emotional. "And I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I will prove my love to you and earn your trust once again. I promise that I will love you for eternity. Even through these hard months, I never stopped loving you. I never will stop loving you."

Cora smiled softly up at him, her sapphire eyes sparkling with tears.

"And I will never stop loving you, my darling."

Robert leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers and letting out a sigh of relief. Cora eagerly allowed the contact, closing her eyes as she relished in his proximity. His touch proved that he was still here. She had nearly lost him. She could have lost him, had he not come looking for her.

"I love you, Robert. Please never forget that," she whispered weakly. She couldn't believe she had nearly let their last moments together be spent fighting.

"And I love you. I will spend the rest of my life showing and telling you," Robert said, pulling away slightly to look her in the eyes. He needed to let her see the truth and love in his gaze. He gently pulled her closer with his arm wrapped around her waist and he lovingly cupped her cheek in his large hand. The entire time, Cora looked up at him and clutched him closer to her as if she thought that if she let go she would lose him. Robert smiled softly at this.

"I love you, Cora. That's why I got out of the car. I had to tell you."

Cora smiled softly at him, her eyes tearing up again.

"I'm ever so glad that you did," she said softly, her voice cracking with emotion. With another shared smile and loving look, Robert pulled Cora against his chest once again. She readily allowed him to embrace her tightly, needing to feel him against her.

As he held his wife that he loved so very much in his arms, Robert chanced a glance at the car accident on the road. The smoke still rose ominously, reminding him of the terrible end he could have met. Closing his eyes against the scene, Robert turned his head and buried his nose into Cora's hair, allowing her to flood all of his senses.

He was glad too. He was glad that he had come to his senses and had been smart enough to go after her. He would have met his end without her knowing that he loved her very, very much.

In that moment, Robert silently vowed to himself and to Cora that he would be there for her, that he would love her. He would be sure to tell her and show her of his love every chance he had.

Before it was too late.

A/N: So I hope this was what you all hoped for. Cora and Robert have made up and are now on the path to strengthening their marriage again. I just had to change this part of season 2 because I don't know that I could have written much more angst. I really didn't like that Cora never found out about Jane, so I needed to fix that. I also didn't like that Robert nearly went further with Jane, so I needed to fix him and Cora sooner than the actual show did.

Also, poor Barren. He appeared for one chapter and got killed off. Oops. I didn't really explicitly write that he died in the accident, but I didn't think Cora would focus on the gruesome details when all she was in shock and could only think of losing Robert.

Anyway, I hope you liked these changes made to the Downton Abbey storyline. What did you think of the last couple chapters and how Cora found out about Jane? Did you like the way things played out? Let me know and thanks for reading!