A/N: This is the final chapter for this fic. Anyone looking for a sequel could, at batwings79's suggestion earlier on, perhaps check out my other fic, "A Husband's Love." That was never meant to be a sequel to this, but it works well as one. It just doesn't follow canon as it's an imagined S7 fic.

My thanks to all of the lovely reviewers, and a shout out to the new guest reviewer who called me "Chelsie." Your comments are sweet, indeed. I can assure you I'm not at all a professional writer … just a teacher from the US who has a love for our darling Carsons. But I *would* have replied had you an account here. :)

There is a song list for this story, and I'll publish it as a separate chapter in a day or two. It will NOT contain more story information, so don't get too excited when it shows up in your Inbox.

Much love,
CSotA

There's a time for everyone, if they only learn

That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn …

An enchanted moment and it sees me through;

It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you.

Can you feel the love tonight?

January, 1926

"Here's another one that Mr. Barrow found for you." Elsie walks into her husband's pantry with a sturdy, empty box, placing it on his desk.

Charles has just finished filling the one next to it, and he reaches for the string to tie it shut.

"Here," Elsie says quietly, "you hold the lid down and I'll tie it."

She looks up and sees him nod, but he can't manage to speak just yet. Packing up his office has been much harder for him than he'd imagined, and he's not even halfway through yet.

"Can I help you with any of it, Charlie?"

When he looks at her, she's niggling her lip with worry. It reminds him that he's not the only one who will have to deal with his no longer being the butler at the Abbey; Elsie will likely walk into this room countless times a day in those first few weeks, only to see another man seated behind the desk.

He reaches for her face and gently loosens the lip with his thumb, and she leans into his touch.

"I forget it's difficult for you, too," he whispers, and she nods, her eyes glistening. "Would you mind doing that table?" he asks, pointing behind where she's standing.

"I'd be glad to."

"Here," he says, handing her the box she'd just brought in. "I need to check on a few things upstairs, and I'll have Andrew find a few more boxes for me when I see him."

She nods, stands on her tiptoes to place a kiss to his cheek, and smiles.

"Go on, then," she says. "I'll be here when you get back."

But by the time Charles returns, Elsie's no longer there after all. He notes that the table she'd worked on is not only completely empty but has been wiped down, too, and he sees not one but two boxes holding its contents on the floor.

He heads into the corridor to find her, finally locating her in her sitting room.

"There you are."

"Oh, I'm sorry; I needed to take care of this," she replies, not turning.

Charles sees her filling out a cheque for one of the house accounts, and he waits.

"There," she mutters, turning. "I apologize for abandoning you; in the confusion with the wedding, I forgot about that invoice."

"That's not like you," he says, and she nods.

"I know, but it's settled now."

Charles takes the empty chair by her desk and touches the teapot that rests between them; finding it still hot (and two empty cups next to it), he pours for each of them while she watches.

The tremor is rather pronounced, but he manages; it pains her to watch him struggle, embarrassed, but she can't think of anything to say to him to make it better.

"Here you are," he says, smiling as he hands her the cup and saucer.

"Thank you."

He sits back and sips his own, grateful for Mrs. Patmore's foresight at having brought the tray.

"I should be finished by four," he tells Elsie quietly.

She looks up, studying his face. "That's early."

"I know. I need to go through the wine next, and mark those that are my own personal collection. Mr. Barrow has promised to have them boxed and sent to the cottage next week. But there's not much left to the pantry now."

"Well, you've likely already got your wine in its own spot," she says lightly, "so that'll take about five minutes. "Why not spend some time up in the nursery after? I'm sure Nanny won't mind, and the children would love to see you."

"Hm, perhaps I shall."

oOoOoOoOoOo

"We'll still be seeing you next week, won't we?"

Charles looks down at Mr. Bates's outstretched hand and shakes it firmly.

"You will, although I don't expect I'll be the focus of your attentions then. Many congratulations once again, Mr. Bates."

"Thank you, Mr. Carson." The younger man is positively beaming, and Charles is honored that he would take time from being by his wife's side to come down and join the little going away gathering in the servants' hall.

"Please tell Anna I'll be up to see her tomorrow afternoon," Elsie adds. "And that she'd better still be resting."

"You can go back up now if you'd like, Mrs. Hughes," the valet says with another smile. "He was quite taken with you, I think."

"No, but thank you," she replies. "Anna needs her rest, and we really need to be getting on home soon." She brushes Charles's arm with her own, and he nods in agreement.

Daisy comes out to wish them a tearful goodbye, followed by Miss Baxter, Mrs. Patmore, and eventually Mr. Barrow, who shakes Charles's hand firmly.

"We'll see you next week, Mr. Carson," he says. "And if I may say so, I believe I'm finally ready to actually be the butler … thanks to you. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and I'm grateful that you'll be staying on to assist for the foreseeable future."

Charles is nearly overcome. He swallows with some difficulty, managing to get himself under enough control to reply.

"It may sound strange, Mr. Barrow, but I only agreed to stay on in that capacity because I agree that you are ready. I have no doubt that I'm handing over this position to someone who's learned how to approach it with dedication and care."

He pauses, then adds, "You have the support of his Lordship, Lady Mary, and Master George." He smiles. "That's quite a team on your side."

"And don't forget to add me to that list, Mr. Barrow," Elsie says quietly. "I'll see you tomorrow, and we'll begin to get you settled in."

"Thank you," he nods. "Alright, I understand from Mr. Branson that your things are packed into the car and that it's outside the servants' entrance, waiting for you."

Charles nods, looking around at all of their faces once again.

He'll be returning next week, but it won't be the same ... and everyone in the room knows it.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Elsie changes into her nightclothes quickly and then dashes downstairs as Charles heads into the bathroom after her. She pours them each a healthy dose of brandy - a gift from Lady Edith to thank them for all their hard work pulling her wedding celebration together - and carries them to the parlour. She stokes the fire and adds two logs, then takes her seat on the settee to wait for Charles.

It takes him nearly half an hour to come down and join her. She has half a mind to go up and see what was keeping him, but she knows.

"Elsie, I can't find a few things that I believe you packed." His voice sounds from just behind her, and she smiles and moans delightedly as his hands land on her shoulders, massaging them slightly.

"That's heavenly, Charlie," she murmurs. "You really are very good with your hands."

"You should know," he replies softly, much closer now so that his lips brush her ear, the sensation making her shiver.

"I do."

He continues to massage the tension from her shoulders until she reaches back and pats one of his hands with hers.

"Come and sit, Charles."

He complies, and she hands him a snifter.

"To you, my darling husband. The best butler that house has ever, or will ever, see."

He clinks his glass to hers. "Thank you, love. That does mean a lot to me."

"Are you glad you'll still be popping in now and again?" She's genuinely curious, thinking that if it were her, she'd prefer to make a clean break.

"Only because you'll be there," he admits, reaching for her hand and lacing their fingers together. "I'll miss having you in the next room all day."

"Well, you can come up and see me whenever you wish, you know." She scoots over and snuggles up to his side, then reaches behind her and pulls down the afghan on the settee - his afghan, which they now keep in the parlour for cuddling by the fire on nights just like this. Spreading it out over their laps, she looks up and smiles at him.

"You asked about a few missing items," she reminds him. "I'm guessing they are the small frame with the photo of your father, two books that you read rather often, your favourite pen, and that silly fish."

His eyes widen. "Precisely, but how ...?"

"They're in my sitting room," she tells him. "Along with your chair and a small desk that Andrew procured from the attics."

His lips open in surprise; no words are forthcoming, and he ends up staring at her.

"Charles?" She's a bit uncomfortable now, worried he may be displeased.

"Thank you," he whispers. "I'd not even considered a space in which to work."

"Well," she tells him, "I did. I hope it suits, and that you'll not mind sharing."

He reaches up and touches a finger underneath her chin, drawing her in for a tender kiss.

"How could I mind? Here I was, wondering whatever I'd do without you by my side every day."

Elsie reaches for their glasses and places them on the table, then turns and gingerly climbs into her husband's lap, straddling his thighs.

Charles closes his eyes and sighs happily as her fingers run through the hair at his temples; he tilts his head back in preparation for the kiss he knows is coming.

When her lips touch his, it's softly at first - tentative, as if this were their first kiss and not simply one on a list of hundreds that have come before; he pushes back with a little force, encouraging her, and before long it grows more heated, more typical of the ones they usually share on the settee in front of a roaring fire.

He laces his fingers at the small of her back and she breaks away from him, her hands still cupping the sides of his face.

"I've never been more proud of you, nor loved you more than I do today," she whispers.

Her eyes are a startling color of blue, and it takes his breath away.

"You've managed this entire experience with the style and grace with which you manage everything else, and while I would have worried about you retiring alone one day, I find that I have every confidence in your being just fine now."

A tear creeps out of his eye, and Elsie brushes it away with her thumb before several more fall.

"I shall endeavour to try," he whispers, "but I won't pretend it'll be easy. You may be sick of me before the next week is out, I'll be haunting your office so much."

"Never," she reassures him. "And I thank you for agreeing that I should stay on."

"I'd hate to have tried to talk you out of it. You're not ready yet, love, and there's nothing wrong with that."

He tilts his head forward until his forehead rests against hers.

"The butler could never have done this gracefully if it weren't for the fact that he's a husband now," he confides. "You were correct when you said I couldn't have done it alone."

"Well, you'll never be alone again, love."

"Nor you. I'll walk you to work every day, and on the days I'm not staying there with you, I'll come and pick you up to walk you home."

She leans back and the collar of her dressing gown falls a bit; Charles's eyebrows shoot up as he realizes she's neglected to put anything on underneath it.

Elsie laughs softly at his surprise, then leans in for another kiss.

"Here?" he whispers when he can manage to break away.

"If you like," she replies softly, trailing kisses down his jaw and underneath his ear. "I'm not expected until later in the morning, you remember."

"Right," he manages, capturing her lips once again. "Well, you're stuck with me now, Elsie Carson. I hope you still don't mind."

"Oh, Charles," she whispers, her voice and face full of adoration. "Don't you know?"

He tilts his head quizzically.

"You stole my heart away."

And so it is that Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson simply melt into Elsie and Charles once again, living and loving, looking forward to the future with the confidence that stems from knowing that no matter what life will bring them, they'll always have each other.

A/N: It was supposed to be about 20 chapters, as I told meetmeinstlouie way, way back (I think she laughed at me). If you could place one last review in my Inbox, that would be amazing. Thanks to you all.