I will update my other stories I promise, I had to choose between 4 of them to update (I asked my friend and she chose this one.) The others are gradually being written and I am very sorry for taking so long. Got the inspiration for this chapter having spent yesterday in hospital having an operation on my teeth, much fun(!)

He returned each day, taking the time off work to go at the same time so she never missed him. But then again, he had no idea whether she could tell he was there. Dr Clarkson reassured him every time that she knew he was there but somehow he couldn't believe him. She just lay there, pale and small, her hand never moved from the position he left it in. Each day, he took it in his, kissed it, stroked it, laid it against his cheek and reminded her how much he loved her.
Ten days had passed and each felt longer and longer, no sign of any recovery, each day she looked thinner and thinner, he couldn't let her slip through his fingers like this, he longed to see those beautiful blue eyes again, the way they shined in the sunlight, the way sparkled at night.

It was one Tuesday that he'd gone again, he'd met Nurse Crawley on the way in. He'd come to know how Elsie was getting on by the way Nurse Crawley looked every morning. Today she was smiling, a way he'd never seen before.

"Oh Mr Carson, thank goodness you're here. Your wife is awake and sitting up, she can speak a little but she's still exhausted" she smiled even wider as he rushed past. She hugged her clipboard to her chest and felt her heart warm at the sight of the strong love between the couple. She sighed sadly, looking up, 'what you must feel after spending years married to the person you adore', she came back to her senses and went to sit back down at the desk.

Charles all but ran into her room, nearly collapsing with relief when he saw that she was there and sitting up, it wasn't that he hadn't believed Nurse Crawley but he was just so happy to think she was awake. She was sat up, staring blankly out of the window. Now awake he could see just how unwell she looked, her complexion matched the colour of her sheets apart from the many bruises and scars on her skin, her bones were beginning to show more prominently on her wrists and collar, he couldn't tell if it broke his heart or warmed it to see her like this. Stepping into the room, he closed the door behind him, never taking his eyes off her.

"My darling girl"

Her head whirled round at the sound of his voice and she wore an expression of sheer joy and happiness that she'd only ever worn once – their wedding day.

"Charles!"

He went straight over to her and simply held her in his arms, sitting on the bed. She clung to him tightly, her fingers clutching onto his jacket and tears pouring down her face and onto his shoulder and for the first time in his life he was willing to cry in front of her. He locked his fingers in her hair and gently stroked her head.

Outside the room there was a small dark haired nurse watching them filled with a combination of sadness and cheerfulness, she could feel just how glad Mr Carson was now his wife was awake and recovering but she felt sad; everyday she saw different people, different situations and she would often people watch if she had nothing to do. But seeing couples wait to see if their spouse would survive was often torture for her, she'd seen her fair share of couples distraught over their loss but she'd also seen couples reunited, their emotion showing how much they really loved each other – both situations broke her heart but she always managed to keep a brave face around distressed patients.

They stayed holding each other for what seemed hours until he heard her sobs subside. He pushed her back so he could look at her, he moved his hands from her shoulders to cup her face, allowing her to see his tears, she couldn't have loved him anymore than she did now.

"Elsie…my beautiful Elsie…you scared me so much…I'm so glad you're alright" he kissed her forehead and laid it against his own.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered almost inaudible.

He pulled back, still holding her face, to look straight at her.

"No. Do not start apologising; you've done absolutely nothing wrong, scared me to death yes but the point is you're fine and going to recover." He said this but in the back of his mind he could still hear Dr Clarkson's voice telling him even if she looked well there was a chance the internal damage was fatal.

"They've spoken to me Charles, I know I'm not 'fine'," she gave him a sad smile and held back more tears, "you might have to… make arrangements." She didn't meet his eyes but knew that he wouldn't like her remark.

"No, I'm not letting you go that easily." He took her hand in his and stroked her wedding ring. "I made a promise and I'm sticking to it, we're never giving up, there's still hope sweetheart."

"Not much" she moved her free hand up to her face to hold onto his.

"There's enough, enough for me to know you'll be fine but you can't give up, I need you to promise you won't presume the worst will happen" he brought their joined hands together so they rested between their hearts. "Promise…?"

She sighed and looked into his eyes, the love and hurt in his eyes pulled at her heartstrings.

"I promise" she whispered.

He kissed her hands before resting his head on them, she felt his tears on her fingers and could no longer hold back her own. She couldn't bear to see him this upset, she'd never seen him all that upset before, she'd seen him stressed or in pain and that she hated but now this was unbearable, seeing his emotionally strong mask slip and the venerable scared side revealed. She wanted nothing more than to make the pain go away for him but knew that she couldn't because it was her pain that worried him, she couldn't help him until she got better.

"Please don't leave me. Please" he murmured softly, unable to talk through her weeps so she disentangled her hand from his and stroked his hair. Suddenly crying uncontrollably as she understood just how much he loved her.

He looked up, his eyes red but he'd stopped crying. He didn't speak but took her into his arms again, attempting to not dislodge any wires. She cried into his shoulder.

"I should never have let you go to that meeting, I know Isobel wanted to tell you about the baby but I should never have let you go" he stroked her back, he could feel her spine with his thumb and made a note to mention her significant weight loss to Nurse Crawley.

"You couldn't have known, she's having a girl by the way" Elsie smiled through her tears.

"I know, she phoned…many times, she too feels responsible, wished she'd come over instead of making you go and meet her"

"No one could have known, it's no use dwelling on what you should have done. No one could have predicted this"

They were silent for a moment, both unsure as to what to say, before Elsie chose her best way of cheering him up;

"I love you"

He chuckled softly, knowing exactly why she'd said that as well as being reassured,

"I love you too, and will keep loving you, because you will get through this. We both will"

They were interrupted by Nurse Crawley coming through the door with Elsie's dinner,

"I'd better go so you can eat, and by the look of it go to sleep too" he raised his eyebrows as she yawned, "I'm that boring am I?" He stood up and let her lie back against the pillows; she held his hand and smiled up at him.

"Never"

He leant down to kiss her forehead, unaware of the nurse behind him smiling sweetly at them. She put the tray down and made her way to the door, staying beside it as the Carson's said goodbye to each other. She held it open to let Charles leave first.

"Thank you, good night Nurse Crawley"

"Goodnight Mr Carson" she smiled, watching him walk down the corridor, she could see in his eyes just how scared he was, he wouldn't admit or show it around her as they didn't know each other. But she knew, she knew he was petrified of losing his wife. She felt a tear fall down her cheek, living in denial was killing her, putting on a brave face every day was so hard. The mask was slipping.

I can't tell if I'm going to give this story a happy or a sad ending, all my other stories have happy endings so I could break the pattern… Part of me feels like making this a sad ending but idk, what do you think? Please review, cos I have to tell my friends to read it so I know what people think :p