Hello loves, So this is a not so nice chappie. Don't hate me too much. Also thank you all for the reviews of last chapter!
Also thanks to my lovely beta Hogwarts-Duo, who fixes my stupidity one chapter at a time!
Elsie had been working closely with her lawyer in the months leading up to the trial. They had prepared three character witnesses to support that she and Charles provided a good environment for Ainsley to live in. They had prepared Ainsley for an interview with the judge.
Elsie pulled up to the school and picked up Ainsley for the court appointment. She buckled the little girl into her carseat and they dropped by the university to pick up Charles.
They looked quite the little family. Elsie had on a charcoal gray dress with a teal blazer to set it off, Charles had a matching teal tie, and Ainsley was in a teal dress with little gray toms. Elsie and Charles sat at the litigants table and Ainsley was passed to Isobel who was with her husband and Beryl. Mary Crawley came in and looked quite smart in her pale pink dress with a dark maroon suit jacket over it. The judge called for order and Joe's attorney called witnesses to prove that Elsie worked long hours and that she had moved Charles in before they had been promised.
Mary made quick work of their side and called the three character witnesses. Elsie and Charles both spoke for themselves, and then it was time for Ainsley to go up. Mary took the little girls hand and walked her up. Instead of each of the attorney's asking questions, the judge would question the little girl.
"Miss Ainsley, how old are you?" The older man asked kindly.
"Four and three quarters, sir," she answered sweetly.
"And who do you live with?"
"I live with my Mummy, in a house on Mayfield Ave. It's the pretty brick one with black shutters. My room is purple and teal!" she described.
"Your Mum just got married, didn't she?"
"Yes, to Mr. Carson. He is my Papa now, and I love him very much."
"And what if I told you that the man over there is your real father? What would you say?"
"I want to stay with my Mummy. I love my family...Papa, Mummy, and me. I don't like him. He looks mean, and I think he hurt my Mummy!" Ainsley started to cry.
Elsie looked up at the sound of her daughter crying and rushed around the table to get her girl down from the bench. The bailiff made to stop her but the judge waved him off. He watched as the mother picked up her little girl and smoothed her hair. The little girl wrapped herself around her mother and the judge knew his decision.
"I usually take time to go over all the evidence and read the testimonies over once again. However, I believe it is painfully evident that it is in the best interest for little Ainsley to stay in the sole custody of her mother and stepfather. They have provided a loving home, and obviously the child has no wish to go with her real father. Mr. Burns, you should improve your situation by getting help for your alcoholism and your anger. Maybe then you could revisit this issue when the little girl is of age to choose whether she wants to see you or not. My ruling is in favor of Mr. and Mrs. Carson. Thank you," he finished solemnly.
Charles hugged his girls and kissed Mary Crawley's cheek. He took Ainsley from Elsie and the family made their way out of the courtroom leisurely with the rest of the group. As they walked down the courthouse steps they heard a shot ring out and Elsie's grip on Charles's hand went slack as she collapsed. Charles kept Ainsley angled way until Mary reached out to take her. He shouted for Mary to take Ainsley to her flat. He would send Beryl after her later. Richard and Isobel had already bent over Elsie's limp body. An ambulance skidded to a halt in front of them. The paramedics rushed to her and loaded her up. Charles rode with her and held her hand the whole way to the hospital.
He followed them in and was stopped outside the doors. He heard something about emergency surgery and something about blood loss. He closed his eyes and sank down into a chair. He felt a hand slip into his and he looked to the side to see a dazed Isobel. Richard was at the desk requesting to be notified as soon as possible.
His phone rang and he picked it up. Beryl was calling to see where she could pick up Ainsley. He gave her the necessary information and then told her to keep things quiet from the little girl.
They waited for a long while, four hours to be exact. He stood when the young doctor approached.
"We have repaired all the damage. Her ribcage slowed the bullet enough to stop it from going all the way through the lung. However we did have to go in remove the bullet and repair the lung. She is on a ventilator for now until she wakes up, and then we will see where we stand. The next 24 hours are very important. She lost a lot of blood and will be very weak in the coming weeks. You were very lucky. An inch to the left would have left her paralyzed from the chest down. Two people can go in for now, but only for an hour or two," Dr. Branson explained.
"Thank you, Doctor." Charles took Isobel with him. She told Richard to call Beryl and then to call Mary. She would be worried as well.
She looked so small to him. Laying in the hospital bed, surrounded by white (she hated white) and hooked up to tubes. He went to the chair by her bed and clutched her hand.
"Els, my darling, you have to get better soon. Our girl needs her Mummy, and I am afraid that a certain grouchy professor needs you, too. I love you. I love you, and I need you to be better. Elsie, we have so much planned. Ainsley needs a sibling...I need to grow old with you," he said as his eyes filled with tears.
Isobel put her hand on his shoulder and gathered him to her as if he was a little boy. He cried as he clutched Isobel and his wife's hand.
They left after being shooed out by an older nurse who told them they would do her no good if they felt like death warmed over.
He went to Beryl's and collected the lass who was (thankfully) asleep. He came home and tucked her into her bed with a kiss to her forehead. He listened to the messages on the answering machine. One from the police saying that they had caught Joe Burns and he had been put into jail for the night, and eventually would be tried based on Mrs. Carson's condition.
Violet had already heard, no doubt from Mary, and she had called to say she would keep Ainsley if need be. He sighed at that. Knowing that the young girl loved seeing her Granny Violet (she was actually her great aunt, but she had insisted, due to the fact that she and Elsie were quite close, that Ainsley call her Granny.)
He woke with a start at 5 am and was confused until the shrill ring of his phone registered. He sat up and answered with a gruff hello. They told him she was awake and breathing on her own, but they wanted him there to talk about a few things with her.
He called Isobel who agreed to come over and she was true to her word. She arrived fifteen minutes after the call had ended and he thanked her and left for the hospital.
The doctor was in with Elsie when he arrived, and she smiled a drowsy smile at him. He went over and kissed her gently and then settled in to the chair to listen to the doctor.
"When we went in, we didn't know what to expect exactly. We fixed the hole in your lung, your ribs were wired together to help them heal correctly and not to move. I am very sorry to tell you that strain on your body caused too much distress in your abdomen causing the fetus you were carrying to abort itself."
"What?" Charles asked in a confused voice.
Dr. Branson's eyes went large, "I assumed you knew. Mrs. Carson was three months along. During surgery, she miscarried. I am so sorry. I know what a hardship that is. We don't believe, however, that it has affected your ability to have future children."
He left with a nod and Elsie looked at Charles. "Well, there goes that then."
"You knew?" he asked quietly, without malice.
"I was going to tell you after the trial," she explain with a quiver to her voice.
"We'll try again. That's all, love," he said as he noticed the tears tracking down her face, "Ainsley is going to Violet's for a few days. Izzy is taking her up today. It's a good thing its break at school!"
Elsie sighed. "I'm so tired. Stay with me?"
"I'll be right here when you wake up. Sleep well, my heart," he replied with a kiss to the back of her hand.
Let me know what you think!
Much love,
Samantha=)