One last time… Thank you all for reading, reviewing and liking this story.

To explain why we are suddenly in 2031… Charles was originally born in 1856, making him 56 in 1912 as well as 2012. So now he's celebrating his 75th birthday in 2031 instead of 1931.

What happened since 2014: Charles has written a few period dramas and is a well-paid author now. Elsie and Becky are retired and Tom is a cricketer on top of his career, playing for England and West Hampstead. He's married to Sybil Crawley, a journalist from London and descendant of Lady Sybil. Gwen became an art teacher and married a lawyer. They have twins aged 3.

19th August 2031

"Close your eyes!", Elsie shrieked and the next thing Charles knew a towel flew his way.

"If you don't want me to see you naked you ought to consider going to the bathroom", he pointed out, removing the towel from his head. "And any way… Since when am I not allowed to see you naked?"

Elsie sighed. "Look at me, Charles", she asked him, presenting her body to him.

"Now that was a quick change of mind", he replied cheekily. She gave him a warning look, then explained herself. "I'm old now. Everything is wrinkled and hanging down and in recent months my hair greyed."

"Look at me", Charles asked her now in return, getting out of bed and removing his t-shirt which left him standing in front of his wife in nothing but his boxers. "White hair, wrinkles, age spots, a round belly, not to mention the without-pills-useless-area below", he said. "But…", he added, taking her left hand that was adorned by a golden wedding band and pressing it against his chest so that she could feel his heartbeat. "But a strong and steady heart that still belongs to you", he finished meaningfully. She smiled at that and looked him in the eyes. "I love you."

He placed a kiss to her forehead. "You are very beautiful to me and I happen to find that grey hair rather sexy."

She slapped his arm playfully. "Go and get those pills", she said a little flustered. He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Happy Birthday to me."

…

Of course with age their love making had changed. Neither had the stamina of their earlier years together anymore or the ability to try some untraditional position, yet it still had the same effects on both of them. It didn't fail to make them both loved, safe and at home. It still reminded them that they weren't alone and that they shared many happy memories.

Still slightly out of breath, Charles sat up and tried to smooth his disheveled hair down unsuccessfully. While it had lost its dark colour, it hadn't lost much of its volume and stubbornness. "Well, Mrs. Carson, that was quite a wonderful way to start my birthday."

Elsie smiled. "I agree. And I imagine it will get much better."

Charles raised his eyebrows. "How so?"

"There are a few surprises in store for you, I shall say no more", Elsie explained mysteriously.

"I look forward to them", he said happily and watched his wife getting up.

"Now, we should both get dressed", she announced and put her shift back on. When she was at the door, Charles had gotten himself back into his boxers. "Elsie?"

She stopped and turned to him, leaning against the door frame.

"You are absolutely beautiful to me. Please don't ever doubt that", he told her sincerely.

"I love you, Charlie", she replied with a sparkle in her eyes.

…

Charles had showered and was now wondering how he should wear his hair. Elsie always tried to make him wear it a little modern and not glue all that glory to his head, but he couldn't quite decide if that would really suit him. Elsie joined him in the bathroom, picking up a slide to put her hair up. She grinned at the sight of her husband. His shirt was open, as was his belt and his hair was wet and uncombed. "What's holding you up?", she asked and with a few movements had her hair in a neat arrangement.

"I can't decide what to do with my hair", he admitted.

Elsie laughed. "And why is that?"

"I thought about trying it modern, the way you always tell me", he explained. "But I don't know where to start."

"Let me help", she offered and began to comb his hair back. He steadied her with his hands on her waist and tried to make himself a little smaller, since she was already on her tiptoes yet still had problems to reach his hair. When she was done combing, she grabbed the hair wax she had bought for him a while back, but which had never been used so far. Taking a bit of it, she asked him to bent down to her more and with an elegant movement got his hair a little spiky up front. "There", she said. "What do you think?"

Charles checked his appearance in the mirror. "Reminds me a bit of the way Tom wears his hair these days, only not as extreme."

"Does this mean you approve?"

"I'd say it suits me, don't you?"

"It does", she agreed. "Now finish up. Breakfast will be ready soon."

…

It was nearing tea time when Charles realised that Elsie had laid the table on the terrace and got the grill going. He stepped outside and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Are we awaiting someone for dinner?"

"We might. It's your birthday after all", she replied. Right then a group of familiar faces appeared at the back gate and entered the garden. Charles burst into a massive grin and walked onto the neatly cut grass to greet them. His granddaughter was the first to make it to him and he happily picked her up and hugged her. "Hello, Sybbie. It's wonderful to see you, petal", he told her.

"Happy birthday, grandpa", the six year old replied and kissed his cheek. He gently put her down again to let her greet Elsie and turned to Tom who was dressed in black trousers and the England cricket team polo shirt. "Happy birthday, dad", he said and hugged him.

"Don't get me wrong, Tom. I'm very happy to see you, but I thought you couldn't get away from London?"

"The friendly's been cancelled. I'm surprised you don't know that", Tom replied. "We're off to Australia next week instead of this week."

"How wonderful", Charles said and then kissed his daughter-in-law's cheek. "Hello, Sybil."

"Happy birthday, Charles", she said.

"My, what a surprise indeed", he laughed. "But where did you leave little Charlie?"

"He insisted on waiting with Becky until Gwen and her family arrived", Tom explained.

"Four years old and a gentleman already", Charles laughed.

"He comes after his grandfather", Sybil told them. "I'll see if I can help Elsie."

"You're ok?", Tom asked, not having missed the short bit of sadness that had briefly flickered over Charles' face.

"Ah, it's nothing. I just thought how Charlie couldn't take after me since we're not blood", he explained.

"But he can", Tom assured him. "He wants to be like you. You're his favourite."

Charles smiled gratefully at his son. "Thank you."

Tom gave him a nod and then walked over to watch over the grill. Only moments later, Becky arrived, Charlie, Gwen, her husband and their twins with her. Charles greeted them all and had to carry Charlie for almost half an hour until Gwen's husband saved him, initiating a game of football which the twins and Charlie joined happily. It was then that Thomas and Jimmy arrived. They had both reached their mid-forties by now and had married. Thomas was still working as both teacher at the school and coach for the Downton Cricket Club while Jimmy had taken Becky's job after she had retired years ago.

"You really have invited them all", Charles said to Elsie.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"I was looking forward to a quiet day with my wife, but spending the day with my friends and family has become so rare that I'm very happy to have them all here", he told her and kissed her cheek. "I still can't quite believe that Tom married the great-great-great-granddaughter of Lady Sybil's daughter."

"Sometimes life does write strangely wonderful stories", Elsie reminded him and squeezed his hand.

"I believe the meat's finished", Tom announced and everyone gathered at the table. They raised their glasses to drink to Charles who thanked them all for coming and then they hungrily enjoyed their bit of steaks, sausages, salad and potatoes.

…

At around eight the children finally gave up wanting to stay awake. Becky went home to put the twins in bed and give their parents a short rest. Charles and Elsie happily tucked Sybbie and Charlie in who were always staying in Tom's old room when they stayed. Elsie left Charles to read them to sleep and went down to the kitchen to start cleaning up. The laughter of the three couples sitting outside and sipping the last drops of red wine was carried into the kitchen and made her smile. She filled the sink with water and began cleaning the plates. Charles' footsteps sounded from the stairs and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, telling herself to not think about it.

"The little ones are fast asleep", he told her, taking a towel and drying off the cleaned plates. "I wonder if we could ask Tom and Sybil to let the children spend their summers here when they're a little older. Though London isn't far we hardly see them."

"That's a nice idea", Elsie said and suddenly bursted into tears.

Charles looked at her in confusion. "Elsie, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry", she sobbed. "I tried not to think about it, but…"

"Oh god, Elsie, you're not ill again, are you?", he asked worriedly, thinking back on her health scare.

"No, it's not me", she said. "It's you."

Charles frowned. "Me? But Elsie, I'm in good health. The doctor only checked me through two weeks ago."

"He doesn't know, what I know", she replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your grave, Charles", she explained. "I never wanted to tell you, but now I'm so terrified of losing you."

"You mean, I've reached the age I would have died at had I stayed at the Abbey?", he asked carefully.

She nodded and was shaken by another sob. "I thought it might be easier now that we've had so many years together, but it's not."

Charles moved to hug her tightly to his chest. "We both now that one day, one of us has to go and leave the other one behind. And no matter who will go and who will stay, it won't be easy for the one who is going to stay."

"Charles, the date on your tombstone was the 12th October. That's in two months", she cried into his shoulder.

"I don't know what will happen on that day, but one thing I do know: The moment I came back to you and we started our life together everything changed. That world in which I stayed at Downton Abbey and died there doesn't exist anymore. It never happened. And I like to believe that this means that our future has not been decided yet."

Elsie was still shaking in his arms, but she wasn't crying anymore. "Don't you dare die that day", she whispered.

"I can't promise you that, but I'm not planning to", he said softly. He gently stroked her cheeks and bent down to capture her lips in a deep kiss. "I love you, Elsie. And now I want you to trust the good that's left on this earth and enjoy the rest of the evening, all right?"

She took a deep breath. "Okay."

He took her hand in his and smiled down at her. "It won't happen." And he was to be proofed right for the Charles Carson that had died on 12th October aged 75 had had a different fate. The Charles who married Elsie was destined to live until a much older age alongside his wife. After all, he had been the lucky one.

Well, that's it. Thank you all for sticking with me and the story. A last review would be much appreciated. I don't have any new stories in the making and somehow I doubt I'll come up with any new ideas. I won't make it final, but there is a possibility that this was my last Chelsie fic.