So, it's been a while since I've posted anything...but well...spoilers for the new movie prompted this little tale. Hope you enjoy.

Rolling over onto her side, Elsie made it seem as though she was ready to sleep and was trying to avoid the light Charles was reading by. In truth, she wished to hide the tears that she'd suddenly found pooling in her eyes. She was going to miss him, they hadn't been separated since their marriage. She'd grown accustomed to his warmth in her bed, to his solid presence against her back as he held her close. Intimacy, while it wasn't an every night occurrence, she supposed still happened more than the average for a couple of their ages.

The tears spilled over as she heard him grumble at something he found after turning the page of the travel guide he'd been studying since the decision had been made for him to accompany the family to France to visit the villa the Dowager had inherited.

She'd been the one to persuade the decision, knowing that her husband could deal far better with that than the invasion of the cinema at his beloved Downton. Her husband and the French, well…he'd never been overly fond of them, but the chaos she knew would ensue at Downton with the making of the movie, a talkie as it was called, dear laird, but that wouldn't do. He'd sure and be having a heart attack. Or his palsy would act up. She wanted neither, so here she was…crying herself to sleep.

"Elsie, love…" Charles whispered, realizing that his wife wasn't asleep as he'd thought.

Swallowing a few times, Elsie finally answered quietly, "Yes, Charlie?"

Frowning, Charles put the book down then reached out and gently turned his wife toward him, surprised at the tears he found on her cheeks. "Elsie? What is it?"

Staring up at him, Elsie shook her head then moved into his arms, her head resting on his chest. "Just being a silly woman," she finally muttered.

"Elsie, you're never a silly woman. Now what is it?"

"I'm going to miss you, Charlie, that's all. I'm going to miss you."

Smiling, Charles nuzzled his nose against her hair and gently squeezed her. "That, my darling wife, isn't being a silly woman."

"Well I'm crying like a silly woman."

Charles couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Now Elsie," he started but stopped when she moved back enough so that she was looking up at him. "Elsie, tell me all of it," he said at the look in her eyes.

"It's my fault."

Now he was confused. "Your fault? That Lady Grantham inherited a villa in France?"

"No, Charlie." Elsie huffed. "That you're going with them."

Scowling, Charles pushed her back so that she was sitting up next to him. "Elsie, you aren't making sense."

Looking down at her hands, she fidgeted with her ring. "I asked them to persuade you to go with them. I know how you feel about chaos here at Downton and I know how you feel about actors and actresses…I…"

Reaching out, Charles gently lifted her face so that she was looking at him. "So you chose to be separated from me to keep me from being upset, knowing that I wouldn't have as hard a time dealing with the French as I would have here dealing with the movie, reminded of my past."

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I know you don't like it when I plot behind your back, but yes. I know how much you hate that part of your past, how being reminded of it embarrasses you."

Gently cupping her face, Charles leaned toward her, holding her gaze. "I love you, Elsie Carson."

Smiling, Elsie felt more tears falling as she closed her eyes and accepted his kiss. Moaning when Charles deepened the kiss, she clutched at his arms when he drew her closer. Breaking for air, she looked at him with a raised eyebrow when he helped her settle over him. "Charlie?"

"I know it's not our usual night, but…don't you think we should make the most of our last few nights together for a while?" Charles winked at her, his hands busy pushing up her nightdress.

Breath catching at the feel of his hands on her bare flesh, Elsie helped him with the cotton garment, then fidgeted with the buttons on his pajama shirt. "We'll have to take this off," she informed him.

Charles chuckled as he helped her then raised an eyebrow when she wiggled off him. "Elsie?"

"Trousers, Charlie."

Laughing outright at that, Charles quickly rid himself of the rest of his clothes, settling back in his spot and pulling an equally nude Elsie back over him. "Now, where was I?" he whispered hotly against her ear.

Grasping his shoulders, Elsie shivered as his hands moved up her legs and continued the path until they were cupping her breasts. "Ooh, Charlie…that's a good place to start."

CnE

Elsie sighed as she slowly opened her eyes. She smiled when she realized that she was still wrapped in Charles' arms. Rolling her eyes at the fact that she was still naked as the day she was born, she sighed…not sure she would ever get used to that…sure that she wouldn't change it. She blinked sleepily, thinking about letting sleep claim her once again when she felt Charles' hand gently squeeze her hip.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it either, Love, but I'm not going to change it. I like you like this too much," he told her, his voice gravely with sleep.

Elsie chuckled and tangled her fingers with his. "Oh Charlie, you daft man."

Charles smiled and nuzzled her neck. "Why are we awake? You have the day off, and I won't be working until France."

Turning in his arms, she reached up and caressed his cheek. "I don't know why I woke up, but…since we're both awake…"

"Why Mrs. Carson, are you suggesting that we repeat our earlier activities?" Charles asked, his hands busy, his mouth pressing kisses against that certain spot behind her ear that he knew was always her undoing.

"Mmm, Charlie…the things we do…"