A/N: Here it is - the end of this strange journey for our Chelsie.

This chapter is for kouw, who had a little request that I'd already kind of been considering, and who has a special place in her heart for Daisy. :)

My thanks to brenna-louise for proofing this chapter and many before it, to silhouettedswallow whose help in the beginning chapters was equally invaluable, and to ladyaureliacrawley for answering my picky questions about Gaelic. Thanks to all the reviewers - guests and not - but a special thanks to the few people who reviewed EVERY SINGLE chapter. While that's most certainly not necessary, it was lovely following it along through your eyes. Please know that EVERYONE'S comments made this fic what it ended up being; I had a MUCH more simplistic view of how to carry out a small idea from theladychelsieofdownton (a.k.a. yellowbrickroad): What if Daisy were the Carsons' daughter? See what you all do? I know we write these things individually, but we certainly don't do so in a vacuum. At least, I do not.

True to my nature, there's a musical selection for this one. "Love Will Keep Us Alive," by The Eagles. I couldn't get it on Spotify, but you can find it on YouTube.

xxx Much love to all,

ChelsieSouloftheAbbey

EPILOGUE

Shortly after their marriage, Charles and Elsie had realized that the idea of retirement was becoming more and more appealing. They treasured their time together, whether it was being spent in passionate embraces in the privacy of their home or in the sharing of comforting glasses of sherry in the public venue of her sitting room at the Abbey. The problem was, they felt that they simply didn't have enough time to enjoy all the other things they wanted to do together.

They made it until Christmas of 1927 when, together, they handed in their notice. The Crawleys had been sad to see them go but not terribly surprised by the decision, and the years since had brought many invitations for visits to both the Abbey and to the Carsons' cottage, maintaining the special relationships that both Elsie and Charles had forged over the years with the Crawleys and their myriad staff.

Then, in April of 1928, Daisy and Andrew had finally married. Their long courtship was due in no small part to Daisy's reluctance to remarry, and the eventual wedding was the product of many conversations she'd had with Bill, who had steadily convinced her that William would want nothing more than to see her happy. Bill, who was still almost as much a father to her as Charles was, reminded her that she was an adult now, soon to be both in charge of her own farm and head cook at Downton; she wasn't the young maid that Charles had carefully walked to William's bedside, and she should allow herself to be free to love again. His words had made her realize that she'd come such a long way from the terrified little girl who'd arrived at Downton those many years ago; and so it was that, surrounded by all of her parents, as well as Andy's father and sister, the two had been the last couple to be wed by the Reverend Travis before the new vicar had taken over at the village church.

Then, much to Elsie's delight, Daisy and Andy's first child - a daughter, lovingly called Rebekah Elspeth Parker - had been born two years later. Elsie had mistakenly thought she'd found the pinnacle of her happiness when she and Charles had finally married, but absolutely nothing could have prepared her for the joy she would feel on the day of Rebekah's birth, when she held her grandchild for the first time.

"Welcome, a leanaibh," she'd whispered, delicately kissing the newborn's furrowed brow. "You are the second Rebekah to be born to this family, you know. You'll be a credit to your aunt's memory."

Charles, who had been looking upon them with a swelling heart, approached his wife and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling both Elsie and Rebekah into his loving grasp and breathing in the lavender scent of his wife's hair mixed with the sweetness that was distinctly Rebekah. Elsie leaned back into his chest, and they stood silently for as long as possible, just marveling at this blessed miracle of life. When Rebekah started to stir, the then newly-wed Mrs. Clarkson came and took her from Elsie, then handed her to Daisy to be nursed.

"She's lovely," Isobel murmured, squeezing Elsie's arm as she passed by. The two women shared a smile, both grateful for the friendship that had naturally formed between them in the time since Elsie's retirement. Beryl's own retirement, which would happen the year Rebekah turned one year old, would be the icing on the cake, the ability to enjoy more time with her dearest friends and her family making Elsie's life truly complete.

oOoOoOoOoOo

1935

"Charlie, can you help me with this?" Elsie called from the back patio.

He made his way out, a tray of drinks in his still-steady hands. He located his wife in the corner of the patio and chuckled.

"Oh, don't tell me you can't reach it, Elsie," he teased.

She blew a lock of silver hair off of her face, clearly frustrated at how long all the decorating was taking. "Don't make me drag out that rickety ladder, Charles Carson." She looked at him, lips pursed, but they both knew she couldn't manage to be cross with him for long.

He placed the tray on the long table and shuffled over to where his wife stood. "Don't you dare," he advised gently. "I won't have you falling again."

"That was three years ago, Charlie - and don't you worry, I did learn my lesson." Elsie had discovered the hard way that slippery shoes and a rickety ladder are a poor combination, and had fallen and fractured her arm two Christmases ago. It was the most difficult holiday they'd ever spent together, the blow only slightly softened by her husband's ever-attentive ministrations as Elsie sat frustrated for weeks, barely able to do a thing.

"'To love, honor, and obey,'" he reminded her with a smile, tapping her nose with his fingertip and placing a delicate kiss to her cheek, "and I'm glad you've not forgotten. Now, let's see if I can tack that banner up before they all arrive."

Elsie moved away as her husband finished affixing the paper to the back fence of their patio.

"Happy 5th Birthday," she read delightfully. "Charlie, she's going to be so surprised!"

"I think so," he agreed. "You told Beryl and Bill noon, correct?" he asked, looking at his pocket watch and seeing that it was already 11:45. "So they should be here in, oh, about an hour," he joked.

"Oh, hush, you. They know how important it is to get the cake here on time. Rebekah is their granddaughter, too, you know."

"I know, dear." He took one last look around the patio and nodded his approval. "Everything looks marvelous. Let's head in and sit for a while before everyone arrives." He placed his hand on her back as they walked back into the house, stopping once inside the kitchen to plant a sweet kiss to her lips, one which she returned in kind with a small hum.

"I love you, Els," he whispered, tucking the escaping lock of hair back into her loose plait. "I know I tell you all the time, and that I drive you to distraction, but I'm so grateful for you every day of my life."

"And I, you," she replied softly, reaching up to brush her fingers across his brow. She tried in vain to push back that pesky, errant curl of his, the one that never seemed to lay in the same place twice but that she loved regardless because it was so much a part of Charlie. In doing so, she brushed her fingertip over the faint scar at his temple, all that remained of that fateful train accident in London. "Thank you for agreeing to have the party here," she added after a moment. "I didn't really have the energy to stay over at the farm this week."

"Neither did I, to tell the truth. I'm so glad for this cottage - it's close enough to town and to our friends, with enough room for the children to visit us whenever they wish. I don't mind admitting it, I'm starting to feel my age," he said as they sat on the settee. He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. "I can't believe I'll be eighty soon. Eighty years old. Neither of my parents made it past fifty."

"I know," she replied. "My Mam lived to be sixty-six, but my Da died so young. I can't help but feel that they were all cheated in a way. I've enjoyed all of our years together, love, but none so much as the ones since we've been retired. The freedom to spend days with Rebekah, to travel when we want to, or to spend entire days lazing around in bed … there's nothing like it. We've worked hard, and it's like a wonderful reward. It makes me sad that they never got to enjoy that."

"I agree."

Moments later, the sound of crunching gravel came in through the front window. Charles stood slowly and offered his hand to his wife, helping her to rise from the settee. "They're here!" he said gleefully. Elsie just shook her head and smiled, his glee at every moment spent with his granddaughter absolutely infectious.

Just then, the front door to the cottage flew open. "Granny! Granddad! It's my birthday!" Rebekah squealed, hurtling herself at their legs as they each reached down to hug their granddaughter.

"Is it? I'd completely forgotten!" Elsie teased, winking at her darling.

"No, you didn't! I know you remembered, Granny - you remember everything!" Rebekah laughed. "But thank you," she added quickly, remembering her manners.

"Hello, Mam!" came Daisy's voice from the doorway. "It's lovely to see you," she said, kissing Elsie's cheek and then moving over to receive a hug from Charles. "Thank you both so much for having 'luncheon' here today," she said with a wink. "Shall I have Andy bring everything around back?"

"That would be perfect," Charles replied. "Although Beryl and Bill aren't here yet …"

Daisy laughed. "Oh, of course not! Did you expect that they would be? We've got, oh, at least ten more minutes before we see them." She turned to Andy as he came in the door, and explained where he should set the box they'd brought. It contained a few food items for the party, but also had hidden within it Rebekah's gift from her parents - a lovely set of coloring pastels and a brand-new sketchpad. She was already showing herself to be a very talented artist, something she had evidently inherited from her namesake, who had been very talented with pen and ink; many of Becky's pictures still graced the walls of the home in Lytham St Annes, where she'd spent the last five years of her life before succumbing to pneumonia. Daisy and Elsie had both been by her side when she passed, each holding one of her hands in their own.

Beryl and Bill did arrive at the cottage shortly thereafter, with Andy keeping his daughter entertained in the parlour as Beryl snuck the cake around to the patio. She lit the candles and called for everyone to join her. As soon as Rebekah burst through the back door, all of the adults sang to her. She was jumping and clapping gleefully, bringing a smile to everyone's face.

"A party! Thank you!" she squealed, staring at the cake. "Is it chocolate?"

"But of course, darling," Beryl told her, running her fingers through Rebekah's dark hair. "Your favorite."

Rebekah wrapped her arms securely around Beryl, who bent down to receive her granddaughter's enthusiastic kiss. "How about I ask Grandpapa and your Granddad to cut the cake while you're opening your gifts?" she suggested, shooting Bill and Charles a smile.

"Splendid idea, dear," Bill replied, as he and Charles retrieved the plates and knife from inside the kitchen.

"Yay!" Rebekah squealed.

Five minutes later, the girl was surrounded by a pile of colorful, torn paper and a variety of ribbons. In her lap and on the table next to her were the pastels and sketchpad, a new doll from Bill and Beryl, and a stuffed cat that Anna had sent. She and John were traveling in Ireland and had been unable to make it to the party, but Anna had sent the gift well in advance so that Beryl could bring it along.

"You seem to be missing a gift, petal," Elsie said softly. "How about you go into the yard and see what your Granddad and I have gotten for you?"

Rebekah's eyes widened as she nodded furiously. "Yes, please!" she said, jumping down from the bench and grabbing Charles by the hand. "Can we all go?"

"Of course," he answered.

The moment Rebekah turned the corner around the fence she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Is that … for me?" she whispered. Charles felt her positively quivering with excitement as she stood there, staring off at the tree and the lovely red swing that Andy had helped Charles string from the lowest branch only last week. Charles had picked it out in Ripon the previous month and had added two coats of shiny, red paint to it as soon as he'd gotten it home. He and Elsie had affixed streamers to it just that morning, and they were flapping in the gentle breeze. It looked quite inviting to the five-year-old.

"Yes, darling, it is," he whispered back, ruffling her hair. "Happy Birthday from Granny and myself. Would you like to try it out?"

Rebekah nodded emphatically. "Yes, please! Can I go very high?"

"Well," Elsie told her, "if you hold on tightly to the ropes, you can go as high as Granddad wants to push you." She then bent down and whispered in her girl's ear, "I tried it out yesterday, and got this high," and held her hand to demonstrate as Rebekah's eyes opened even wider.

"Alright!" she squealed, running toward the tree, the loving laughter of her family following her all the way.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Thank you so much, Mam," Daisy said as she hugged Elsie goodbye. The two were standing inside the kitchen, putting away the last of the clean dishes. "This was such fun, and Rebekah will be asleep before the car even pulls away from your cottage!"

"It was our pleasure, my dear," Elsie said softly, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "I'm so glad that everyone could make it - well, except for Anna and John, of course." She then took hold of Daisy's arms and stepped back, looking her girl up and down with shrewd perception as the others were on the patio, finishing the sweeping and the packing up of Rebekah's gifts. "Daisy," she enquired gently, eyebrows raised, "when, precisely, are you planning to tell everyone?"

"Mam?" Daisy asked, blushing slightly and looking downward. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Daisy Parker, you are as horrible a liar as your Da, do you know that?" she chuckled. "You're carrying another bairn, I'm as sure of it as I am of my own name. How far along are you?"

Looking back up at her Mam's face, Daisy whispered, "Only about two months, I think. How did you know?"

"Oh, my darling," Elsie said, lovingly brushing her fingers over her daughter's shoulder, "I recognized the signs immediately. Have you been ill every morning? You look as though you've lost half a stone since I last saw you, and you're positively exhausted."

"It's better now, but it was awful up until two days ago," Daisy admitted. "I think it may be a boy this time. Dr. Clarkson assures me that it's normal, but I was nothing like that with Rebekah." She paused, a distant smile coming to her face. "If it is a boy, we'd like to call him William. Do you think Da would mind if we didn't choose Charles?"

"Oh, of course not," Elsie reassured her. "We'll love him - or her - regardless of what name you choose. You've not told the Masons yet, I presume?"

Daisy shook her head. "No, I wanted to tell you first, but you beat me to it. I'll be seeing them again next week, and that's when we'll break the news. Please don't tell anyone but Da just yet, and we won't tell Rebekah for quite a while."

"I promise."

Elsie put her arm around her girl and walked her outside to join the others by the car.

"Everything alright with my lovely ladies?" Charles asked quietly.

"Just perfect," Elsie said, refusing to look him squarely in the face. As they kissed everyone good-bye and loaded them into the car, Charles had a niggling suspicion that he knew precisely what was happening. After knowing her half his life, he'd become rather adept at reading his wife's body language, and whatever Daisy had just confided in her had Elsie positively glowing with happiness.

As the car pulled away, he leaned over to Elsie and whispered, "Only one thing would have you looking this happy, Els. When is the baby due?"

She looked up at him fondly, smiling and shaking her head as her eyes filled with happy tears. "In December, I believe. Just in time for Christmas."

"Perfect." He held his hand out to Elsie, and she took it firmly in her own. "Are you hungry?"

"Not particularly," she said. "Exhausted, though. You?"

He just heaved a deep sigh and nodded his agreement. Since retiring, they'd given up on operating according to a schedule, and had instead taken to resting and eating whenever they felt the need. It was odd, perhaps, but it suited them; it was a freedom neither of them had allowed before, but one to which they'd taken an instant liking.

Silently, they made their way to the bedroom. Once inside, Charles opened the window a crack to let a bit of fresh air in. They undressed one another slowly, lovingly, as the late afternoon light streamed in through the window. They placed kisses to one another's temples, shoulders, arms, and hearts. Their flaming passion had ebbed as the years had gone on, but in its place there now resided a tenderness, a deep desire to be close to one another, always touching in some small way, as though they could see the years flying by faster than ever … as if, by being closer, they could slow the passing of time.

Charles pulled back the sheets and they climbed in. Elsie tucked her body in snugly next to him, resting her head on his shoulder as her fingers trailed across his chest.

"This is my favorite part of the day," he said softly.

Elsie giggled, the sound still so musical in his ears. "The part where you undress me?"

He moved his head back to look deep into her eyes, marveling at how the deep blue had become tinged with a soft grey as the years had passed, a color brought out by the beauty of her long, wavy tresses, which had gone all silver a few years ago.

"No," he answered seriously. "The part where I can hold you in my arms, and feel your heart beating against mine." He'd given up the pretense of not being sentimental long ago, and the smiles she had given him on every sentimental occasion since - like the one he was seeing at that very moment - had made it all worthwhile.

Within ten minutes, each of them had drifted off to sleep, lulled into pleasant dreams by the comfort of their closeness and feeling that now, perhaps more than ever before, they were finally getting to experience who they truly were meant to be: grandparents, parents, best friends, lovers; they were true soul mates, finally brought together in the most precious of all ways … by being a family.

You were standing all alone against the world outside

I was searching for a place to hide

Now I've found you, there's no more emptiness inside

When we're hungry, love will keep us alive.

The End

I do hope you liked it. 3