I know that I have a lot of stories going on. This season 4 inspired story came to me last night and it wouldn't let me go until I wrote this. I hadn't thought I would do any more season 4 inspired stories, and yet they keep coming. Trigger warning for this story: it deals with dark themes.

Carry You Through

Elsie felt a heaviness on her chest. The heaviness had been sitting there for several weeks now, crushing her, worrying her. Her thoughts were always with Anna. She felt trapped and inept. It was her job as Housekeeper to make sure her girls were safe, to protect them. And she had failed Anna, she had failed her profoundly. The poor girl was just a shell of the woman she had been before.

Every day, Elsie tried to convince Anna to see the doctor and tell Mr. Bates about what had happened. She knew that Anna needed her husband. Elsie was sure that Mr. Bates would be a caring husband and be there for Anna during this dark time in her life. But Anna refused to tell him. She refused to even entertain the thought of saying a word of it to Mr. Bates.

Elsie was caught in the middle, not knowing the right thing to do. While she knew Mr. Bates needed to know, could she be the one to tell him? Anna had trusted her with this secret, had made her promise not to tell.

A sharp breath passed through her lips, as Anna's haunted eyes came into her memory. Haunted and troubled eyes. If she told Anna's secret, would it help? Or was Anna correct? Would Mr. Bates seek vengeance, therefore getting himself hanged? That would be the final nail in the coffin for poor Anna. However, if she didn't say something, what would come of Anna? She was becoming less and less of herself each passing day. Elsie was afraid that one day she would just disappear into thin air.

The door opened to reveal Anna. Quickly, Elsie stood from her chair and gave the girl a small smile. Upon seeing Anna's face, the heaviness on Elsie's chest lightened some. Anna seemed lighter on her feet, less folded within herself.

"Anna," Elsie greeted.

"I…." She paused, searching for the right words. "I…I am feeling much better, Mrs. Hughes."

"Oh my dear, you can't not know how happy I am to hear that," Elsie sincerely told her, reaching out and taking her hands. "Did…did your cycle come? Is…is there no baby?"

"There will be no baby," Anna strongly stated, turning her hands within Elsie's.

"Oh heavens, I know you must feel so relieved."

"I feel better," Anna repeated, her lips twisting slightly, but she pushed out a smile. "I'm going to tell Mr. Bates the truth. Everything is going to be alright now. I'm….I'm going to be alright."

Elsie nearly cried out in happiness. She wanted to scoop Anna up into her arms and give her the tightest squeeze, but she knew how Anna still felt squeamish to being touched in such a way. So instead, she just squeezed her hands tightly.

"I'm so happy for you, Anna."

"I only…." Anna stopped for a moment, "I wanted to thank you for being there for me during this dark time, Mrs. Hughes. I wanted you to know that I appreciated it."

"Don't thank me. Just go home to your husband, Anna. Tell him everything."

"I will," Anna promised. She quickly pulled her hands away from Elsie and gave her a small, crooked smile, before disappearing out the door.

Elsie fell back into her chair and let out a relieved sigh. Now, everything would be alright.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

When morning came, Elsie made her way downstairs with a pep within her step. She couldn't wait to see how Anna was this morning. Though perhaps she and Mr. Bates would have planned to stay home this morning. If they didn't show up, she would cover for them and handle Mr. Carson.

The back door swung opened and Elsie saw Mr. Bates coming inside. His shoulders were still slumped over and he still had the solemn, worn down features on his face. Her face fell.

"Mr. Bates? Where's Anna?"

At her question, Mr. Bates glanced up. He pursed his lips and shook his head.

"You know she's moved in here, Mrs. Hughes," his words were curt. Elsie could feel the heaviness growing again.

"But she said…." she allowed her words to fade. "She didn't come to the cottage last night and speak with you about what was bothering her?"

"No," Mr. Bates answered. "She did not."

"But…."

There will be no baby.

The words Anna had said to her repeated in her head. There would be no….not that there wasn't. Elsie gasped.

But suppose you're with child.

I'll kill myself.

Coldness spread through Elsie's bloodstream. The calmness in Anna's demeanor, the way she had said everything would be alright. Had she decided…

Elsie had no more time to think on it and she turned on her heels.

"Oh my god," she cried out.

"What…what is it, Mrs. Hughes? What's happened?" Elsie could hear the sheer panic in Mr. Bates' voice but she couldn't get any more words out of her mouth. Her steps just quickened and she began to rush up the staircase. She cursed that it was so many steps until she reached maids' quarters.

"Mrs. Hughes?" John followed behind her, but he couldn't move as quickly as her with his limp. Elsie thought that it might end up being a blessing, that he wouldn't be the first to find Anna.

Her heart pounded in her chest and she ignored everyone who passed her as she made her way up the stairs. She could hear Mr. Bates behind her, but she just kept going.

Finally, she made it to the maid's quarters and to Anna's room. As she guessed, it was locked. With shaky hands, she pulled the keys out of her pocket. She could see Mr. Bates at the edge of the hallway.

The door unlocked and she fell against the door, forcing it opened. The smell hit her first. It smelled of vomit. But then her eyes fell to Anna and a guttural scream for help left her lips.

To be continued...

I will update this story once I finish All You Need to Do Was Stay. (Don't worry...that'll be soon.) Please let me know if you would like more.