Now I've got four stories to update and it's getting longer between updates, I'm very sorry :/ Heehee, I'm incapable of going 5 minutes without writing another story for 'Chelsie'. Although this and Tapping Noise of Temptation have little bits of Chelsie in it, they're not solely about it :p
Hope you're still enjoying this story though.

Fifteen

The ship was down, the unsinkable ship was down. That was a shocks enough of it wasn't for her death of Patrick and James. It had been O'Brien who first heard the news, she'd informed Anna and Gwen, Elsie has only found out through Charles, she felt a little annoyed that she was one of the last to hear but it wasn't important, she wanted to find Sybil, talk it over with her but the you ladies were keeping themselves busy upstairs. Edith was devastated and had only been crying; shed locked hereof away and has only allowed herself to be seen by Sybil and Anna. Mary was hidden away; attempting to look as if she was upset by Elsie knew full well she had only agreed to marry Patrick because her parents had told her to. Sybil was quiet, she was sad of course, she'd been fond of Patrick, but she was busy "growing up," now fifteen she was soon to be ready to go to London for her first season, she was excited of course but couldn't help but think that something was missing in her life, there was a gap that wasn't filled by dresses, paying calls and marriage - it wasn't her and unfortunately only one woman understood that.

Else sat in her sitting room, distracted as she had been all day. She found she spent a lot of time just sitting in her room - thinking, and if she wasn't thinking, no doubt she would be with Charles and he made her forget her entire job when he caught her lips with one of those intoxicating kisses. She blushed; sometimes she acted like a mindless school girl when she thought of him.
But she let her mind wander to other things, she thought of Lady Edith, how hurt she must be, not only to lose the one you were in love with to your sister, but then for them to die and see your sister not caring. She couldn't bear to think of life without Charles so she understood a little for Edith, they'd never had the same relationship she'd had with Sybil but they'd never not gotten along.

She thought of Sybil, her not so little Lady Sybil, the girl who used to come to her sitting room every day, never caring that she probably shouldn't, the girl who would fit snugly on her lap while she did her work, never caring that she did, she liked to be cuddled, the girl who used to discuss every problem and worry with her, never caring about the differences between them, simply a girl who wanted a friend and she'd got one for life.

It seemed that Lady Sybil could read minds as whenever Elsie thought of her she seemed to come and knock on the door.

"Good morning Milady, how are you?"

"I'm fine thank you Mrs Hughes, may I come in?"

"Of course my dear, would you like something to drink?" she put down her teacup as Sybil closed the door and sat down.

"No thank you, I I'm fine" she smiled but looked away.

"Miss Sybil, I've known you since the night you were born, you even said your first word to me, I think by now I can tell when something's the matter."

Sybil smiled; it was true that the housekeeper knew her better than anyone in the house, in her family, everywhere.

"I feel … I don't know, kind of unnoticed, everyone's obsessed with Mary at the moment. I know Edith feels the same but she' s so upset she's locked herself away, I spoke to her and we both feel left out."

"Under the shadow of your eldest sister?"

"Yes, I'm not usually bothered by her but now it seems to be getting to me more,"

"I think we all knew this day would come, but if it's any consolation milady, you've always been my favourite" she smiled as she took a sip of tea, glad to see Sybil smiling, even though she still detected sadness.

"You're worried that you'll be going to London soon aren't you?"

"Two years, it's hardly soon"

"It'll go quickly my girl, I can assure you that. But if that's not worrying you then what is?"

Sybil let out a huge sigh and slumped in her chair, a sight that would have caused her grandmother to faint; she was very informal around Elsie and enjoyed the opportunity to be unladylike.

"I don't know, I just don't like how fast things are going, I remember being so small I could fit on your lap while you worked, being small enough so Mr Carson could twirl me around above his head. Now… now I'm told it's not right to constantly come down here, you're right I am soon going to London and Mary was engaged and she's only 20. Am I to be engaged soon as well? It's just all so silly and why am I the only one that understands?" She'd begun to get very angry as she spoke but her voice was wavering. "My family have always preferred Mary, she's the pretty one, she's the eldest, the most ladylike, she's the one they love, we were just attempts at getting a boy!" She began to cry. "You're the only one that's always been there for me, no one else has, but they're making me grow up, I don't want to have to be this girl they're making me into - I feel so alone!" Elsie got up and knelt in front of her, holding her hands.

"You're not the only one, I understand. I've watched you grow up, I wish there weren't so many rules for you as well." She stroked the tears of her cheek, "You're not alone, you've told me anything that's been bothering you for 12 years and as long as I live I promise to be here for you even if I've retired, I'll always be here for you. You've been like a daughter to me and I never like to see you unhappy and I'll always do what I can to make you happier."

Sybil smiled through her tears and whispered "thank you."

Elsie stood up and sat on the arm of the chair, allowing Sybil to lean on her as she held her. How many times had she sat with her arms around this girl, comforting her? More times than her mother had, whether her Ladyship even knew Sybil had ever cried as a child was unknown. She felt a small resentment towards her employer but it had always been Sybil's choice to come and see her, she hadn't encouraged her but she'd never turned her away.
She was serious when she said she would always be there for Sybil, but could she guarantee Sybil would always be there for her, she guessed it was her strong love for the girl, similar to her love for Charles, she didn't want to think about life without either of them and she couldn't bear to be without them.

After a while she no longer heard Sybil crying but her soft voice saying "It's a shame really."

"What is?" She pushed Sybil back so she could face her.

"When I leave and get married, I would have loved you to come with me and be my ladies maid"

Elsie laughed, "If you want an ancient ladies maid"

"You're always referring to yourself as old. If you want my opinion, I don't think you're old at all, you certainly don't look it, and anyway, your age is just a number, it's how old you feel that matters."

Elsie sighed and tapped Sybil's nose as she always did when she said something cute.

"Oh, I can always rely on you to say something sweet to make me smile"

"Well, if you're going to believe me on anything, let it be that. When I'm upset and you hold and comfort me, I don't feel fifteen, I feel about five again. I don't feel silly and childish though, I feel young and loved again. I miss the days of being able to sit on your lap."

"I miss them too, you could try now but I can't guarantee how long the chair would stay up."

"I can imagine Mr Carson would find that rather funny."

They laughed at the thought of Mr Carson's face as he rushed in to see what the noise was, to find Lady Sybil lying on top of Elsie in hysterics.
And when Mr Carson then came into the room it sent the two of them into fits of laughter,

"Oh dear, it's quite disconcerting to enter a room and the proprietors suddenly burst into laughter." He pretended to be offended but he smiled, the sight of both Elsie and Sybil laughing warmed his heart.

"Ohh, I'm sorry Mr Carson" Elsie rubbed her sides and stood up, "was there something you wanted?"

"Her Ladyship is looking for Lady Sybil"

"Eurgh" Sybil stood up and rubbed her eyes. Both Elsie and Charles smiled at her, she was very much a teenager now but still had that childlike twinkle in her eye.

"Thank you Mrs Hughes, I appreciate you being here for me."

"My pleasure"

Mr Carson moved aside to open the door for Sybil to leave.

"Milady?" Sybil turned around, "don't worry, it'll all be fine."

All she could do was nod to avoid crying again and went down the corridor to go up the stairs.

Charles was about to leave but pushed the door to instead, he turned to Elsie and wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"Why is it whenever she comes in here she seems to start crying. I can't imagine it helps you to have to comfort her all the time?"

"Well no, I don't like to see her upset, but I want to help her through, this is a tough time for her."

"For all of them" All she could do was nod, of course, there was his soft spot for Lady Mary. She would never have the same fondness for her that he did. But never the less she didn't argue with his affections, as he didn't with hers for Sybil.

He kissed her forehead and unwrapped his arm,

"I'll come by later with a glass of wine, maybe we can curl up on the sofa and you can be comforted for once."

"I'd like that" she held onto his hand and looked directly into his eyes, "you'd better go."

"I suppose so" he stuck his bottom lip out and she gently slapped his arm, she heard him chuckle as he left.

She couldn't help but think of those words that Charles'd said 'why is it whenever she comes in here she seems to start crying?' It seemed every time she came in, one of them ended up crying. Maybe Sybil felt she couldn't cry in front of anyone else. Maybe Sybil really did think she didn't have anyone else.

Maybe Elsie really was all that girl had.

I only realised halfway through that most of these have been in Elsie's sitting room and they've been crying, I'm sorry that they're so similar, but I wanted to have the same kind of situations but with Sybil at different ages.
Please tell me what you think :)