-I think she's coming around Dr. Clarkson.

-Carson, she might be opening her eyes, but she might not know where she is or anything that is happening around her. She might open her eyes and close them again the next second and not really wake up for a long time.

-I know she's waking up, I can feel it. Elsie?

The darkness and the fog in her mind and around her were slowly lifting, but she felt cold and as if she were breathing led. Her eyelids felt glued, but she forced herself to open them, searching for the source of that reassuring deep voice. She felt something clod and refreshing on her forehead and a strong warm hand on hers. Slowly she opened her eyes to the dim light of the room.

-Elsie, do you hear me? Can you hear me?

She focused her sight on the celling before turning her head to the left. Charles looked tired, dark circles under his eyes, and older than ever, his face pale and his wrinkles deep and dark. She tried to open her mouth to speak but the only thing that came out was a raspy breath and a really bad sounding cough.

-Don't talk; I know you can hear me. I was so worried about you. Those 24 hours that we spent looking for you were the worst I ever experienced, but I'm so happy you are all fine. Well, at least the children are okay. Jane has a slight cold, but Beryl and Lady Cora have been taking care of her. Lady Mary is taking care of George, Marygold and Michael.

-Why don't you drink some water Mrs. Carson? But don't move much. Carson help her up.

Charles with his hands on her back propped her up a bit and then brought a small glass to her lips. She drank as if it had been the first time she had ever seen water. After she started coughing again Charles placed the glass back on the night stand. She rested her head back on the pillows and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

-What…What happened?

-Don't talk my love. Don't talk. You fainted in the graveyard and at first we didn't know what had happened, we thought it had been the stress and the children had told me you had fallen in the forest so we took you back home. We let you rest for a while, but then you started bleeding. It was on your side, but also on your skirts. We called for Dr. Clarkson and we had to take you quickly to the hospital.

-Blood? Why was… why was I bleeding?

-When you fell in the forest you broke your already fractured ribs, and one of them ripped the skin. When you fainted it got worse. Now the blood in your skirt… You gave birth a few weeks ago, and something tells me that you've been under too much stress, and when he kidnapped you he probably treated you like an object and not a human being.

-He hurt me, but he didn't force me.

-There was no need for it. But don't worry, we stopped it and we operated your ribs. But you have been out for almost a week now. You contracted a very serious pneumonia. You seem to be getting better now.

-My chest hurts.

-It will pass. You've had very serious fevers, and we thought we were losing you a few days ago. Your nose started to bleed; you threw up and wouldn't stop coughing. Thankfully your fever went down and your cough has improved a lot.

-The children are fine?

-Yes. They are absolutely perfect. The twins have told us very nice stories of your adventure. Apparently you climbed out a window, spent the night in a forest, walked through the woods in a storm…

-I also got almost drowned in a bathtub… threatened with a gun pointing at my head…

-They got him. They found him near Devon under a false name. He was looking for his wife and his three children. The police got him and he's now in a high security jail in London. The want you to witness him being hanged, but with you being ill they've had to postpone it. As soon as you have recovered we will go and settle this for once and for all.

-Where are Craig and Adeleide?

-They had to go back to Scotland to solve a few problems, but they said that we would try to come back as soon as they could to bring you all the documents.

-What documents?

-I don't know, but I'm sure they are not important. You need to rest.

-I want to see the kids.

-I don't recommend it Mrs. Carson. Jane has a slight cold and that could risk her health.

-Okay. But are you sure they are fine?

-They are. I can promise you that. Now rest; sleep. It's the first time you've actually woken up, and we don't want you to overdo it.

-You are lying.

-What? What do you mean I'm lying?

-I can feel it. I know you are lying. What is going on?

-Everything is fine.

-No. I can see it in your eyes. Tell me right now. What is going on?!

-I don't think…

-Tell me right now!

-Okay, calm down. Calm down. It's Richard.

-Richard? What's wrong with him?

-He… He became very ill the other day. Very ill.

-How ill? Is he okay?

-He's in the hospital. He's stable, but he caught a worst cause of pneumonia. Right now he's being taken care of. He's fine and they seem to think the worst has passed.

-My baby…- tears formed in her eyes.

-Don't cry darling. He's fine. He's still unconscious but his fever has decreased. I was with him this morning.

-I need to see him.

-No, Mrs. Carson. You are ill as well, and you need to recover.

-I don't care. My baby needs me. I need to be with him.

-Elsie, you can't. Please, don't overdo it. I promise you I will spend as much time as I can without neglecting my duties, with him. Okay? And I will tell you everything that the nurses tell me. If I do that will you rest?

-Do you promise me you will do it?

-I will.

-Okay. I'll rest. By the way, who's been feeding Michael?

-We've been giving him a new formula. Don't worry, it's safe and he seems to like it.

-I wish I could just close my eyes and forget all this has happened. Everything. I'm so tired of all this. The pain, the blood, the deaths, the rapes… Why can't everything go back to the way it was before?

-Because if any of this had happened we wouldn't be married and we wouldn't have three beautiful children. No pain, no sadness can mask the happiness these little three creatures bring into our lives.

-But so many bad things have happened. Too many. I don't know if I can take it anymore.

-We are in this together, we will make it. Now rest please. I'll go see if Michael and Jane are fine.

-I love you.

-I love you too.

She closed her eyes, here head pounding and her throat sore from talking. Charles ran his hand through her hair before leaving the room and Dr. Clarkson with her. Slowly he made his way to the kitchen where everyone including Lady Cora and Lord Grantham.

-How is she?

-Awake. She is fine, getting better. She asked about the children

-You told her about Richard?

-Yes. She wanted to go and see him, but we talked her out of it. She's resting now.

-Have you told her everything?

-Not everything. It would kill her.

-How are you going to tell her that Richard is one step away from…

-I won't tell her because he is going to get better. He's going to survive.

-But if he doesn't what are you going to tell her. Soon she'll be better, and she will want to go and visit him. They won't let her.

-He'll be fine. I know he will.

-You have faith. I'll give you that.

-He'll be fine Mr. Barrow. He'll be fine.

-That's what you say. He's too ill. Better get used to the idea that he's going to die. Start thinking about what you are going to tell your wife when she gets out of this.

-When will you stop acting like this?! He's my son, and I will not have you telling me that he's going to die.

He walked out of the room and slammed the door to his pantry closed.

-You've been too rude.

-I'm sorry but I won't go around thinking he's going to be fine when it can be clearly seen he won't. I won't lie to myself. It will be more painful.

-You are an asshole Thomas. You've really outdone yourself this time.

Everyone slowly left the kitchen, Thomas didn't even move. He stared at the front, his mind miles away.

-I don't like saying it, I love that child too.

Sighing he stood up, the kitchen in silence; no soul there, just the sun coming from one of the windows.