A/N: Sometimes the words just flow onto the page and sometimes you need to really work hard to get anything worth reading. This chapter is one in the latter category. There were many loose ends, i wanted to let a lot happen to speed up the story, there were a few requests from readers (whaddayaknow?) and i wanted to incorporate lots of emotions, but did not want it to be sentimental. Time passes between the chapters, but i thought it wise to actually let you know for this chapter. So, here is the big reveal!

"So... what do you think?"

"I am not sure... it's... well... it's a good idea." he answered.

"I know." Elsie said, bracing herself for what was to come.

"It interferes with what i had planned."

"You had things planned then?" the corner of her mouth pulled up in a half smile.

"Yes. I had planned to go down on my knee for you and formally ask you to be my wife."

Elsie's heart skipped a beat. She knew. Of course she knew, but to hear it actually being said. It was glorious.

"You could still do that." she whispered.

"Could i?"

"Yes... it would not change the plan at all. Except that it would even make it better." she was unable to find her voice, she sounded hoarse. She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Then i will." and he got up from the settee, took the two steps he needed to stand before her and knelt. She held her breath.

"Elsie... i have loved you for many years. You are the first thing on my mind when i wake up and the last thing i think of before i fall asleep. Would you brighten my heart for the years to come, to wake up in my arms every morning and to kiss my brow when i worry? To be my beautiful bride forever?"

Elsie was sure there was a proper ceremony. She knew she had thought of how she would answer many times the last few weeks since the surprise. But all she could do was nod and throw herself into his arms.

A few days later Anna ran into John on the landing. He was going to dress his lordship for dinner and she was going to Lady Edith. She knew she wasn't quick enough, he caught her wipe away the tears that were making their way down her cheeks.

"What is the matter?" he asked, gently. He grabbed her hand and pulled her against him.

"Nothing." she said quietly.

"If it was nothing, you would not be crying." he took a clean handkerchief from his pocket and dried her cheeks.

"Oh... no... well... It's nothing i can talk about. Sometimes things are just the way they are." her answer was enigmatic.

"I am sure one day we'll have more than what you call 'the things they are'. I am certain of it." he started and pulled her even closer. "We will have that baby, Anna. We will. Even if i have to quit my job here and become a farmhand."

She heard the words rumble from his chest and she pushed her head in his neck and cried. He did not shush her, he just let her be. This comforted her more than any words he could have said.

"You wouldn't have to quit. It is i who will have to. But what about my prospects? What about Mrs Hughes and her ladyship?"

"We will have to figure out what we find more important: your chance to be a housekeeper or your chance to be a mother."

And suddenly, the choice was easy.

"Anna? When you are done getting Lady Edith ready, can i speak with you?" Mrs Hughes stood at the foot of the stairs and Anna thought she knew what this talk would be about. After all: she was there to work, not to cuddle with her husband.

"Yes, Mrs Hughes." she called down and squeezed John's hand as she walked away. Her step was light. She had made her choice.

Edith was thankful for a few moments of solitude while she waited for Anna to arrive to help her with her dress. The past two weeks had been so crowded. Anthony had asked her father for her hand in marriage, then she had gone through and he had asked her as well and she had happily accepted. She had no idea how it would change everything. Anthony had taken her arm and they had walked into the parlour together and Mama had sniffled, Granny had something that sounded a lot like 'Finally!' and Papa had hugged her tight.

From that moment, Edith had not had a second of peace, besides the ones she spent getting dressed with Anna's help. Anna was a little more quiet than usual, but she had congratulated Edith with gusto and had offered to try out a few hairstyles so she could choose how she would like to wear it on her wedding day. Besides that, Anna was happy to listen to Edith who needed an outlet. She spoke of Mary who had given her advice on how to handle Granny ("Just agree with everything she says and do completely as you wish. It was Granny after all who said a woman can be as contrary as she likes.") and of Sybil who had sent a lovely letter from Dublin. She talked about how her mother was more interested in her now she could fit her in beautiful gowns and suits and how her father walked around the house a little lost.

When she accidentally said her father would be very pleased to have his grandchildren in the house and how Sybil was expecting again, she saw how Anna swiftly turned around and heard her sniffle. Poor Anna. How this dream of hers interfered even with all she had learned.

How wonderful it was that Mrs Hughes had come to Edith and told her in the strictest confidence Carson had asked her to marry him and that he would be happy to cooperate in the plan. Soon Mrs Hughes would share the plan with Anna and everybody in the house would be as happy as Edith was.

Because she was happy. Very happy to be getting married to Anthony, who loved her and cherished her, to have a purpose once more, to have one of her articles published under pseudonym in a renowned magazine. Her life was turning out all right. When Anna came in, Edith looked around and saw a brighter Anna than she had seen in days. Edith knew Mrs Hughes had not yet spoken with Anna, so it could mean only one thing:

Anna was getting one of her dreams, with or without their help.

"Mrs Hughes? You wanted to talk to me?" Anna stuck her head around the door of Elsie's parlour and saw the low table by the sofa set up for tea. There were two cups and a plate of shortbread biscuits and a few slices of cake. Elsie knew the biscuits were Anna's favourites and she had asked Daisy to bake some especially.

Elsie had a general idea how to convey the plan to Anna, but she was not entirely sure she could keep a dry eye. She had stuffed five handkerchiefs in her desk drawer. Better be prepared. Since Charles had asked her to marry him, she seemed to cry so easily, it was embarrassing.

"Anna, yes. Come in." Elsie closed the door behind the girl and sat down and gestured for Anna to do the same.

"I am very sorry about earlier, Mrs Hughes. It won't happen again." Anna started.

Elsie poured the tea and dropped one sugar in Anna's.

"The embrace on the landing? Yes, well, i don't think anyone was harmed by that. No, Anna, that is not what i want to talk to you about." Elsie stirred her own tea and bit off the corner of a biscuit.

"It's a delicate matter and it is a private matter."

Anna drank her tea and picked up a biscuit. "Are you alright, Mrs Hughes?" she asked, immediately worried.

"Oh yes. Yes, i am fine. Though the matter concerns me, i think it concerns you more." Elsie sipped her tea thoughtfully. "You see, Mr Carson has asked me to marry him and i have accepted his offer." Why did she blush so profusely every time she even thought about this? It was not dignified.

"That is wonderful!" Anna exclaimed, dropping her biscuit in her enthusiasm.

"Yes... it's... it's quite nice..." Elsie sighed, not knowing at all well how to continue. Anna grabbed her hand and Elsie felt her warm skin against her own. "Anna... you know that it would... change things around here..." Elsie kept her voice down and turned to her.

"Would it?" Anna asked, her voice clear as always. "I am sure his lordship would be happy for you to live in a cottage and come in every day."

"Yes. Yes, I am sure, but Anna, the both of us are not as young as we once were. We are thinking of retiring."

The silence in the room could have been cut with a knife. Elsie scraped her throat and proceeded, carefully, never letting go of Anna's hand.

"You know i have tried to teach you all you need to know about running an estate the size of Downton. I have taught you all i know about being a servant and i have seen you grow from a young, quiet girl, into a beautiful woman of many qualities. I would be very happy to recommend you to her ladyship as the new housekeeper of Downton."

Elsie felt Anna's grip tighten. "You married Mr Bates in the face of adversity and you came out so strong. I have watched you since he returned and i had hoped you would come to me with happy news, but the months have passed by..." Elsie could feel Anna's nails digging in the soft flesh of her palm and paused her little speech.

"I have wanted so much to... but i didn't want to let you down..." there was nothing left of the clarity of Anna's voice.

"Anna, i want you to be happy. To have all that will make you happy." She pulled Anna into an embrace and quietly spoke into Anna's hair.

"Lady Edith has a plan. Anna... if you were to have your family, i would be happy to care for them when you take care of your duties in the house. Everything is changing, Anna... the young ladies are all gone, cleaning the house is taking less time. You could work here during the day and i could bring over the little one so the three of you would be together for dinner. And when the child is five, it can go to school in the village and you would have him at home every night."

Anna trembled from the sobs she was trying to hold in. "But what about you and Mr Carson? I am sure caring for a child is not what the pair of you had in mind when you talked about retiring." Anna whispered hoarsely.

"Oh, but don't you think... perhaps... you would give me something that i would never have had otherwise..." Elsie laid her hands around Anna's cheeks and turned her face towards her own. There they were. The tears that came so easily these days.

The clock ticked away the minutes they sat together, all the boundaries had faded away. For a brief moment in time Elsie Hughes held her daughter.

A/N: I know, it is sickmakingly sentimental, i almost threw up myself and i profusely apologise.

In the next chapter: Happiness! Utter fluff! Maybe a bit of M-rates stuff!

And as always: thank you so much for reading, i am really touched people still seem to follow this!