A/N: Flying solo on this last bit, so please forgive any errors in wording, spelling, etc.

I give you a glimpse into the future with this one. I will be revisiting Misty Cove at some point in the future; in the words of this AU's Charles, "I promise." However, those will be one-shot glimpses and will be posted in my "Chelsie Pride and Tumblr Prompt Collection" story, so do give that one a follow if you'd like to receive the notifications. This story, once proofed one final time, will be marked "complete."

Thank you all once again for being a part of my first foray into Modern AU Chelsie. It's been a wild ride, and I am ever so grateful for your encouragement along the way.

CSotA

June ~ Five years later

"Elsie, I can barely hear you." Charles was trying desperately to focus on what she was saying. "You're where? I don't understand."

Elsie ducked into the post office. "There, is that better?" she asked. "Loads of traffic through town today; everyone's headed to the beach, I think."

"Yes, much, thank you," he said gratefully. "Now, what were you saying?"

"I'm running late," she said quietly, not wanting to upset the postmistress with her conversation. "Had to wait for the ice chest to be unlocked, of all the damned things. I've got the bags now, though."

"You'll still be there on time, won't you? Or close to? You can't miss his arrival," Charles worried.

"Don't fret, Charles," she said, calming him. "Nothing's more important to me than this party. I'll be there."

"Alright. Maybe we'll meet you at the farm, then. Does that make more sense? Daisy's already there anyhow."

"Perfect."

"I'll see you when you get there, love."

She smiled. Love. Almost seven years and he still calls me that. "Bye."

Charles hung up the phone and turned to see Juliet standing right behind him.

"Papa, was that Mam?" she asked, her eyes wide with excitement. "Will she be home soon so that we can go?"

"No, love, she's not coming here. We are going to the farm together, and she'll meet us there instead. She's just running a little bit late."

"But she is going to be there, isn't she? She can't miss it."

"She'll be there," he told her.

He reached forward, and she lifted her arms so that he could pick her up.

"Oh, you're such a big girl now," he groaned playfully, making her laugh. It was a running joke in the Carson home that Juliet was such a tiny thing, despite having been so big when she was born. She reminded him so much of Daisy in some moments, but where Daisy resembled Alice more and more the older she got, Juliet's auburn hair and the freckles that appeared when she caught the sun were all Elsie.

"Are you sure?"

"Sorry? Oh, yes, of course she'll be there," he said, carrying her toward the living room. "Now, where are those lovely boots Aunt Mary bought for you?"

"I'll get them!" Juliet said, dropping down to the floor and fetching the hot pink riding boots.

Charles smiled as he watched her plop down and tug them on, tuck her jeans in, and tighten her ponytail.

"All set?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Yup! Let's go, Papa! I want to see the look on Tommy's face when he sees us all!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Tommy drove his car up the driveway toward the barn, with Logan's hand resting on his knee. He parked behind about twenty other cars, his mouth agape.

Logan turned and smiled at him. "Surprise."

"You knew about this?" Tommy whispered.

"I did," Logan smirked. "Your Mam texted me a couple of months ago and asked me to be absolutely sure that we'd be free - and to be sure that I wasn't planning something on the same day."

Tommy swatted at his arm. "I can't believe you, ganging up on me like this! Wait … is that Uncle Robert I see over there?"

"I believe so. Elsie did mention some out of town guests. Said I'd finally be able to meet the rest of your family."

Tommy looked out over the crowd that had gathered under the tent, seated at tables and chairs, and he realized how much effort had gone into planning his graduation party right under his own nose. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he spied the Masons, all of the London Crawleys, Aunt Becky, several townspeople, neighbors, and all of their Misty Cove family as well.

'Let's celebrate with just us and Logan,' he remembered Elsie saying, thinking back to two nights ago when they'd left the graduation ceremony and headed out for dinner at an exclusive restaurant on the beach.

Nice one, Mam.

"That little plotter," he muttered, and Logan chuckled; just then, they heard Juliet's squeal as she ran full-tilt toward the parked car.

"Tommy!" She landed on his door with a thud, and he smiled brilliantly at her as she backed up enough for him to open it.

"Hey there, little monster," he said affectionately, picking her up and squeezing her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Happy Graduation!" she shouted, and he laughed.

"I'll say. Did you and Mam cook all this up yourselves?" He tickled her ribs and she twisted in his arms, but he managed to keep her in his grasp.

"Daisy and Auntie Anna helped," she said, laughing. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Tommy reassured her.

"Hey there, Ju-Ju," Logan said as he reached in the back seat for a gift bag.

"Hey, Logan! Is that for me?"

"It sure is," he smiled, handing her the pink bag. "Take it to your Mam and she can help you with it, alright?"

"Okay. Thank you," she said sweetly, and Tommy put her down so that she could take the bag and find Elsie.

"Are you ready?" Logan asked Tommy.

"Yes. Are you sure you're ready?" Tommy asked him seriously, brushing Logan's fingers with his own. "I'm sure they'll all be just fine meeting you, but Violet can be a piece of work sometimes."

"So you've told me," Logan said, smiling. "But you always maintained that your father would have the hardest time with us being together, and he and I get on just fine. No worries - I can charm anyone." He winked at Tommy and then followed him back to the tent.

"No kidding," Tommy murmured, a smile on his lips.

Cheers erupted as Tommy made it to the tent, and he was suddenly surrounded by well-wishers bearing their congratulations. Ever-protective of her boy, Elsie moved a bit closer when he went to greet Violet. But she needn't have worried, for within mere minutes Logan had been introduced, handed a beverage, and invited to sit, and Violet was laughing about something he'd just said. Elsie caught her husband's eye from across the tent and received a very clear I told you so look from him.

Elsie smiled and shook her head, and a tug on her hand drew her attention from her husband.

"Auntie Essie?"

Elsie smiled at the lovely boy before her.

"Yes, Jack?"

"Are we gonna ride the horsies soon? Maybe Peaches?"

His blond hair was blowing a bit in the gentle breeze, and Elsie couldn't resist the sweet look in his deep, brown eyes.

"Why don't you find your Mum," she said, "and see what she says?"

He went tearing off across the driveway into Anna's open, waiting arms. Elsie watched as they had a small conversation, and she smiled when Anna looked up at her.

After the cake? Anna mouthed, and Elsie nodded.

The rest of the party - cake included - was a rousing success, and as she boxed up the cards that Tommy had opened, Elsie looked out over the farm in appreciation. She still owned the property, and she owed a lot to John and Anna; they'd not only kept the place up, but they'd worked tirelessly make small improvements over the years, the new barn being only one small aspect of that.

As Elsie's attention was drawn to the paddock, she noticed Scarlett nudging Peaches, who had arrived at the farm a few years ago. Star had been sold to a different farm in New Hampshire about two years after Elsie's fall. She'd been sad to let him go, but the fear of interacting with him had simply proven too much for her to overcome. However, she knew the new owners, both horse trainers, and knew he was being well taken care of.

Peaches, on the other hand, was a calm, gentle rescue. She'd fit right in with Scarlett as both girls were mild-mannered, and Scarlett had recently even come to look out for the new horse, staying close by her when they were both out in the paddock and someone new came near. Anna routinely taught riding lessons on both horses, and both were used for equine therapy sessions as well.

But as much as Elsie adored Peaches, Scarlett would always be her girl. She'd finally managed to get back in the saddle on Juliet's second birthday. It had been slow-going, and a combination of therapy, determination, and Charles and John's never-ending patience with her had finally enabled Elsie to cross that divide. The Carsons had gone to the farm that day so that Juliet could "ride" with Anna, and Elsie had simply decided to get in the saddle herself after watching Anna carefully holding Juliet atop Scarlett while John led them around the paddock on a lead. If Juliet can do it, then so can I, Elsie had told herself. And while she'd merely ridden and held on tightly while John had led Scarlett for one turn around the paddock, it had been enough to boost her confidence. Now, three years later, Elsie had even more confidence, but she never rode without someone else right by the fence or in the barn, and certainly never with no one else at home.

"Fancy a ride?"

Elsie turned swiftly, startled by John's sudden appearance by her side.

"Perhaps later," she allowed with a smile. "Your son's already hit me up."

John laughed. "Of course he has; you're his favorite Auntie." He took a sip of his drink. "Nice party, Elsie."

"Thanks for agreeing to have it here - and for volunteering to have all the younger kids over tonight. I'm not sure which I appreciate more!"

"You're very welcome. Everyone seems to be having fun. And the guest of honor is doing a fine job of circulating, thanking people, and making sure he's talking to everyone."

"He is, isn't he?" She felt a surge of pride at that - John didn't dole out praise very often, but people knew it came from the heart when he did.

"So – USM. He should do well there, I think."*

"Yes," she said. "He can't wait. He'll be close enough to come home whenever he wants, but he's looking forward to living on campus. Logan will be starting his second year there, so Tommy's already acquainted with a number of the students. Of course, it helps that half of Misty Cove ends up at that school."

"He told me he's going to study Criminology," John said thoughtfully. "I'm not surprised, given all he's seen in his lifetime."

"No," she replied quietly, niggling her lip. "Neither am I."

As the party began to wind down, Elsie finally found Charles at her side. He draped an arm around her shoulders lightly and placed a kiss to her temple.

"I'd say today's been a rousing success," he murmured in her ear, his breath warm against her neck.

She shivered and saw his resulting smirk. She swatted at him playfully and then turned as she heard Mary and Evelyn approaching.

"We've come to say goodbye," Mary said, kissing her uncle on the cheek. "We've already said our goodbyes to Tommy, and we have plans to have him over for dinner with Logan next week. You should join us."

"Perhaps we will," Elsie said.

"Logan seems like a nice young man," Evelyn said. "I can see why you like him."

"He's always been sweet," Elsie said. "Even as a young boy. And he's very good to Tommy."

The younger couple left, and Elsie took Charles's hand in hers.

"Where'd all the kids disappear to?"

"Inside," he answered. "They're watching a film with Daisy. They got bored when everyone else headed out."

"Do I need to even ask which film?"

Charles's laughter rang out across the field, startling Max from a deep sleep.

"No," he said, still chuckling, "probably not."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Here you are," Charles said, handing Elsie a glass of wine.

"Oh, bless you, you lovely man."

He chuckled as he sat beside her on the porch swing, the sound of the waves crashing up onto the shore before them as the sun dipped back down over the horizon. "Who'd have thought when I met you that we'd be sending one of our kids off to university just a few years down the road?"

"Certainly not me," Elsie mused, sipping her wine. "I never thought there would be any kids to send off. But then I met you."

He scooted over closer to her and leaned down to murmur in her ear. "And what did you think would happen when you met me, Ms. Hughes?"

She laughed softly, turning to cup his cheek. "You've not called me that in a long time, Mr. Carson," she murmured back. "I'm not that lonely farm girl anymore, you know."

"I don't know," he mused. "Deep down, sometimes, I think you still are. Not lonely, mind you, but a farm girl through and through. Tough, independent, caring ... protective."

"Hmm, well, perhaps. To answer your question, I thought, 'Here's this handsome, lovely man who's just walked into my office with his absolutely adorable daughter.'"

"She was rather adorable, wasn't she?"

Elsie was silent for a moment, a faraway look in her eyes as she remembered the day.

"She was. And thank God she was there, because she lent a bit of levity to a very charged atmosphere. I was speechless; you took my breath away, Charles, and that had never happened to me before."

She leaned forward and kissed him softly, slowly, and he heard a little hum escape her mouth.

"I'll never forget that day, Elsie. One look at you - frustrated, eyes lit up, a wisp of hair fluttering about your face - and I knew my heart was no longer mine for the keeping. I'd been so intent on protecting it, keeping it tightly walled in. But in the span of a few seconds, it had simply broken free."

"Well, then," she said, touching her forehead to his as she looked into his lovely, dark eyes, "it's a good thing I found it, Charlie."

"I know you'll always keep it safe," he whispered.

"I will," she promised. "I love you so much, Charlie."

"I love you, too, Els. More than anyone ever has."

*University of Southern Maine.

Meetmeinstlouie provided a name where I needed one; I simply couldn't resist writing in a tiny nod to her epic fic, Winter, in thanks. We often share a brain when writing fic, but Logan's charm was, indeed, intentional.

One more little review would be delightful if you have the time. xxx Chelsie on, my friends.