A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. That was never my plan, but I ended up being really busy with the school and just life. Thanks for your patience, y'all. :) I hope future chapters won't take as long to publish, but unfortunately I can't make any promises as I'm taking 5 classes at the moment. I hope y'all enjoy chapter four! Thanks for reading!

Chapter Four

May 6, 1889

Mary Crawley had been in this world for almost a year now. Her parents and godfather were in love with her and fawned over every milestone she hit. Charles also adored the way Lily would coach Mary in her crawling and attempts to take her first steps. He loved seeing his little girl cheer on his goddaughter. Robert and Cora also adored the role Charles and his daughter were playing in the life of their child and hoped to see it continue throughout the years and with their future children. They admired Charles's kindness, knowledge, and diligence in his duties as footman. He was efficient and had the leadership skills necessary to do well as a butler. So, when Sims said he was ready to retire, Robert did not hesitate in thinking Charles would be a good fit for his replacement. After speaking about it with Cora, he decided to go forward with promoting Charles to butler, despite the fact that he was much younger than most others would be in a position like this. Charles was greatly appreciative of the offer, and he felt surprisingly ready to take on such a prestigious position.

"Of course, milord," Charles said in response to his lordship's proposition, "I'd be honored to take on the position."

"Wonderful," Robert exclaimed. "Sims will train you before he leaves, although I'm sure you know most of it already."

Charles nodded. It was true he'd paid close watch to Sims and the butler at the previous house he'd worked in and already knew most of what the job entailed. He felt ready for the position. He would never want to seem arrogant in front of his lordship, however, so he simply said, "I appreciate the opportunity, milord."

"Thank you for taking it on," Robert responded with a soft smile. "Sims leaves at the end of the month, and then you will be the sole butler here. It will come with a slight pay increase, to accommodate both the change in position and the needs of a growing daughter. Once the rent is taken out, you will be left with about 28 pounds a month."

"I'm ever so grateful, milord," Charles responded kindly.

"Her ladyship and I are grateful to you, Charles," Robert affirmed once more. "Or should I say Carson?" he teased, alluding to the footman's new position.

July 2, 1889

In June, Elsie had been offered the position of housekeeper. She, like Charles, had felt ready for the position despite being only 27. She had been working since she was 12, odd farming and cleaning jobs at first and then as a housemaid since the age of 17. She officially started in her new post today, and she was excited and proud of herself but also a little nervous.

As she made her way back down to the servant's quarters after overseeing the housemaids cleaning the Great Hall, she was so lost in her thoughts that she bumped into Charles as he was making his way up the stairs.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Charles, er, Mr. Carson," she stammered.

"It's alright, Mrs. Hughes. No harm done," Charles assured her. "And, please, call me Charles."

"In that case, you can still call me Elsie," Elsie smiled at him.

"You seemed a bit preoccupied just now. Anything I can help with?"

"I was just thinking about everything that has to be done today. I want everything to go as smoothly as possible to show Lady Grantham that she picked the right housekeeper."

"Oh I think she knows she did. You're doing amazing, Els."

Elsie blushed at the nickname Charles had just given her. It was the first time he had called her that, and it sounded so natural coming from his lips. "Thank you," she said, tucking a piece of loose hair behind her ear. "I appreciate you saying so. I've been a bundle of nerves today."

"Well, that's only natural. I know I was nervous my first day as butler, and I still get nervous when they're entertaining. But you needn't worry, Elsie. You're a natural leader. All the younger maids look up to you and respect you. They follow your orders with little to no pushback, and you grant them respect and care in return. That sounds to me like a perfect housekeeper and housemaid dynamic."

"Thank you," Elsie smiled and let out a small sign of relief. "You didn't have to say all that, but I appreciate hearing it nonetheless. And you're a good leader as well, you know. All the footmen admire you."

"I'm not sure if it's admiration or disdain most of the time," Charles joked.

Elsie gave a slight chuckle before saying, "I promise it's admiration."

"Well then, you seem awfully sure about that. I hope you're right," Charles quipped.

"I usually am," Elsie said confidently before giving Charles's arm a playful swat.

Charles chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you are," he said.

Elsie smirked playfully at him and then took a step forward. "Well, I suppose we best be getting on now."

"Wait!" Charles gently took hold of her arm to stop her from leaving. Elsie could see the blush creeping onto his cheeks and wondered what he was going to say to her. It must have been important since he saw the need to put his work on hold for a moment longer to say it to her.

"I, uh, I wanted to ask you if, er, if you'd like to go out to dinner sometime."

"I..I'd love that," Elsie blushed as she answered.

"We, um, we both have a night off on the 28th," Charles quickly stated. He hadn't planned on asking Elsie out when he first saw her on the stairwell, but now that he had, he was anxious to settle all the details. He felt like a schoolboy all over again, bubbling with anticipation of what was to come whilst simultaneously full of the fear of rejection. To his surprise, Elsie answered quickly and eagerly.

"Yes, the 28th is perfect," Elsie answered with a smile. Charles nodded his head and returned her smile. He still wasn't quite sure what to say. He couldn't believe Elsie had said yes, but he was brought back to the presence by Elsie's soft chuckle before she said, "We could dine at a normal hour for once."

Charles gave a slight chuckle and responded, "Yes, one of the pleasures of the family going to visit the Asgarths. How does eating at 7 o'clock sound to you?"

"Heavenly," Elsie replied. "Thank you for the offer. I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too," Charles responded with a soft smile. "And thank you for accepting."

With a few more blushes and smiles exchanged between them, the pair finally went their separate ways to see to their own responsibilities. However, they both had a little trouble focusing on their tasks because they were filled with both excitement and nerves about their upcoming dinner out.

July 28, 1889

"So, how did you end up in Downton?" Charles asked Elsie as they began to dig into their entrees. The evening was going well so far. They had enjoyed some light chatter on the walk to the restaurant and during their appetizer. The quiet candlelit atmosphere of the restaurant was perfect for them to get to know one another better and engage in a slightly deeper conversation now that they were comfortable with each other.

"Well, I guess I was starting to feel rather.. trapped in Argyll," Elsie confessed. "I loved my family dearly, but I was ready to make my own way in the world. And there weren't any positions for me in a manor house nearby. With no work locally, I moved. First, to Edinburgh and then here."

"And are you glad of it?"

"Yes, I needed a change of scenery. I much prefer being a housekeeper at Downton to what I would've done back home." Elsie stopped and pondered for a moment, like she wasn't sure how much she wanted to say. Charles nodded for her to continue, and she did. "I would've continued to work on the cleaning staff for the local inn until I eventually settled down and became a farmer's wife, but the truth is I just didn't want that. There's no shame in that life, of course, but I saw the way my mam and da were always fretting with worry over how much the harvest would yield and whether or not it would be enough. Honestly, I think part of why I left was because I didn't want to be another mouth for them to feed. They had enough stress as it was."

"I understand," Charles sympathized with Elsie as he took another bite of food. "My father passed away when I was about 15 and my brother 12. My mother was struggling to take care of both of us. We ate as much food as she could afford to bring home and then some." He chuckled fondly and Elsie smiled at him. He clearly had a love and respect for the woman, and that was something Elsie found she admired about him.

"She sounds like a lovely woman."

"She was. She worked hard to take care of Daniel and I, and we loved her for it. Lily is named after her," Charles revealed. "Actually, mum's name was Lillian, but Alice and I thought Lily seemed more suited to such a small little girl. Her full name is Lily Astrid Carson. Alice chose the middle name in honor of her sister."

Elsie was silent for a moment. Charles realized then that he had just mentioned his deceased wife twice, and he worried he had ruined the mood. This dinner was supposed to be about getting to know Elsie. He had thought it was going well, but now he was anxious. Elsie, however, calmed his nerves when she finally spoke and revealed what she had been thinking about during her silence.

"I have a sister too. I miss her," she revealed with tears in the corners of her eyes. "I think it's lovely that Lily carries the love of her aunt with her wherever she goes."

"Tell me about your sister, Els," Charles said as he reached across the table and gently took her hand in his to comfort her. He could see that speaking about her sister was going to make her a bit sad, but he also felt it would be good for her to talk about it and get it out. Elsie squeezed his hand in gratitude and nodded her head before speaking.

"Becky is, well, she's different," Elsie began. "The doctors think she didn't get enough oxygen during delivery." Elsie shuttered slightly at the memory of how hard the birth had been on both her mother and the baby and how worried she was as a six-year-old hearing everything from the next room over. "Anyway, she never really progressed past age 7 or 8. Her body grew, but her mind has stayed in that child-like place. She's just turned 21, and mam and da had to make the difficult choice to send her to a care home in Lytham St. Annes. I usually send over about half of my paycheck to help pay for her care."

"I'm so sorry, Elsie." Charles honestly felt bad for even bringing it up and making Elsie so sad. She clearly missed her sister dearly and did not want to be separated from her. Before he could apologize for steering the conversation in this direction, however, Elsie had already wiped her face and begun to apologize for making a mess of their dinner.

"I'm so sorry. This was such a lovely evening, and now I've gone and made it downcast. Thank you, truly, for such a nice dinner."

"No, Elsie, please don't apologize. You're allowed to be sad. She's your sister, and you clearly had such a close bond with her. It's okay to miss her, and I'm glad you told me about her. Now you can come to me when you're feeling sad or having a hard day, and I'll help you get through it. You don't have to hold this sadness by yourself."

"Thank you, Charles, I appreciate that. More than you could possibly imagine." Elsie had always had to be the strong one growing up, and it was so nice to feel she didn't have to be with Charles. There was just something about him that soothed her and made her feel safe to show weakness. That feeling of safety stirred other emotions within her that she couldn't quite pinpoint. Do I love Charles? she wondered. Certainly it was too soon to know that. Or was it?

The rest of the night went smoothly and without any more tears. As Charles and Elsie arrived back in front of the servant's entrance, they let go of each other's hands and looked at each other. They had walked in a comfortable silence back to the Abbey, but now they both felt the need to say something before they parted for the night. "I, um, I had a really nice time tonight," Charles said with a soft smile.

"So did I," Elsie admitted with a slight blush. "Thank you for the wonderful treat."

"And thank you for the wonderful company. I hope we can do it again sometime?" Charles asked tentatively.

"I hope so too," Elsie said with a smile as she took a step towards the door. "Goodnight, Charles."

"Wait."

Elsie turned towards Charles and looked up at him. He gently placed his hand on her bicep and leaned down. His lips brushed softly against her for the briefest of moments, and Elsie leaned into it slightly. When they parted, they were both smiling. Elsie felt pleased by the tenderness Charles had shown with the kiss. He was so gentle and had kept the kiss brief, but she could tell he would've followed her lead if she was ready for more. She adored him for that.

"Goodnight, Elsie," he said as he removed his hand from her arm and opened the door for her. She gave him a grateful look in acknowledgement of his chivalry and went inside. There was no doubt in her mind that tonight was the first of many special moments between them.

October 17, 1889

Robert paced the library. He was a bundle of nerves, and he knew no amount of whiskey would calm him down. He didn't want to chance getting drunk at such a crucial and special moment, so he refused every offer of a drink Carson had made him in the past five hours. Cora's due date for her next child had arrived, and she was currently in their bedroom in labor. The baby was breech, and her labor was taking longer because of it. Robert had been with her for the first four hours, but she had been in active labor for almost eight hours now and Robert had been downstairs in the library for that whole time. Charles had been with Robert for the past five hours, citing the belief that no man should be alone when they're anxiously awaiting news of their wife and baby's health. At first, the men had played cards and talked about the running of Downton. However, after a short while, Robert's nerves had gotten the better of him, and he was no longer up for conversation. All he had a mind for was thoughts of his wife and baby. He wanted to see them. He needed to see them.

"What is taking so long?" he muttered, finally voicing his anxious thoughts aloud.

"I'm sure everything is alright, milord," Charles assured him. "Some babies just take a while. Alice was in labor for fourteen hours with Lily, and I wasn't allowed in the room for a second of it. Her mother banished me from the room the very first moment things started happening."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better, how?" Robert snapped before his senses came back to him. "I'm sorry, Carson. My emotions got the better of me for a moment."

"It's quite alright, milord. Why don't you sit down? You'll be no use to anyone if you're worn out."

Nodding his head, Robert stepped over to the sofa and sat down. He gestured for the butler to join him. Carson did so, handing his lordship a glass of water as he took his place beside him.

"Have you and her ladyship decided on any names for the baby, milord?" Charles asked, hoping to distract Robert from his worries for a few moments.

His plan worked when Robert responded with a smile. "We have. Edith Amelia for a girl and Robert Nathaniel for a boy."

"Both lovely choices," Charles smiled at him and continued the conversation, hoping to be able to ease Robert from his anxiety for just a little longer. "Is there any special reasoning for those names, milord? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

"Of course not, Carson," Robert's smile grew as he began to explain the meaning behind the potential names he and Cora had chosen for their newest addition. "Cora and I both had great-aunts called Edith, so we thought it fitting. As for the boy name, Robert is after me. Cora insisted upon it because she knew my initial suggestion of Isidore, after her father, would likely not go over so well with the peerage. I suggested Nathaniel because I liked that it means 'gift from God.' Cora wants to call him Nathan as a nickname, which seems rather fitting somehow. I can't explain it; it just feels…right."

"I understand, milord," Charles nodded and took a sip of his water, unsure where to take the conversation further. He didn't have to though because Robert continued on.

"Of course, in the end, the name is not really what's important. I just care that he or she is here and healthy. And that Cora is too. And I hope to God I can meet them before tomorrow."

"I'm sure you will, milord," Carson assured him, trying to help the Earl remain optimistic. It would be no use to dwell on things that can't be changed. Her ladyship was having a baby, and the baby would come when he or she was ready.

Cora was trying so hard not to scream, but everything hurt and there wasn't much else she could do about it. She wanted to conserve her energy, but trying to hold in the pain was spending a lot of it. So, she screamed. She let herself scream and whimper and call his name. Robert. The man who had done this to her. A small part of her didn't even want to look at him, but the rest of her was dying for him to come be with her. For him to give her some small sense of solace and comfort in these excruciating hours.

"I…I need Robert," she panted in the aftermath of a contraction.

"Milady, he can't be in here," the doctor stated. "The birthing chamber is no place for an Earl."

"When his wife, the Countess, says it is, he most certainly can be in here," Cora was growing increasingly agitated. She needed her husband. Why couldn't they see that? She hated to pull rank, but if it got Robert in here, she would.

"Cora, dear, you don't want Robert to see you like this, do you?" Violet asked, trying to calmly talk some sense into her daughter-in-law.

"Mama, I need him," Cora insisted with no thought to her haggard hair or sweat-covered face.

"Very well then," Violet acquiesced to her daughter-in-law, "I shall fetch him."

"Robert, she's asking for you," Violet said as she entered the library and saw her son sitting on the sofa with the butler.

He immediately stood in concern. "What's happening? Is she alright? Is the baby alright?"

"Calm down, my boy. Calm down," Violet put her hand up so her son would let her explain. "Everything is fine with both of them. The baby is turned the wrong way meaning he or she will be born feet first, and she's in a bit more pain than her labor with Mary. Cora is adamant that she needs you there. We tried to talk her out of it, but her American sensibilities leave her unable to see reason."

"Her Americanness is not the reason, and you know it," Robert defended his wife. "This is painful for her. She has every right to want her husband by her side. If she needs me, I will be there for her, Mama. End of story."

"Well, hang on a minute. Let's discuss this."

"There is no point in discussing it or blaming Cora's nationality," Robert insisted, "I am her husband, and it is my job to support her and love her in every way possible. If that includes being by her side while she's bringing our child into the world, then so be it."

He didn't give his mother a chance to speak any further. He didn't want to argue. Not now. He needed to be calm so he could support his wife. Cora needed him, and he was going to be there for her. He rushed out of the library and towards the stairs before Violet even had a chance to open her mouth with a rebuttal.

"Cora," Robert spoke with soft urgency as he rushed into the bedroom, "Cora, darling, I'm here. I'm here." He took her hand in his own and pressed a soft kiss on her sweaty temple. She whimpered softly and leaned her head into his broad shoulder. "I'm right here, my love," he said again as he held her.

"Robert, I can't do this," she uttered breathlessly when she finally spoke.

"Yes, you can, my love. You can do anything. I know it hurts, but you will get through it. You will bring this baby into the world and be stronger for it. And everything will be worth it at the end, you'll see."

"I know it will be," Cora said with a small nod, "It just hurts so much."

"I know it does, and I know you're exhausted. But if you can just hold on for a little while longer, you will be pushing to bring our baby into the world very soon."

"Stay with me," she pleaded.

"I'm not going anywhere, love," he assured her as he looked into her courageous eyes and then pressed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "You can do this, Cora. You can do anything you wish. I'm right here. You have my full support."

She nodded and gave his hand a squeeze as she felt another contraction brewing. "I might break your hand," she teased breathily.

"That's alright. You can squeeze my hand as tightly as you need to to get through it. I won't mind. You can even scream until my ears bleed. Whatever you need to do to get through this, do it. And remember I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled at him softly and then began to pant and moan through the contraction. When the next one came only a few minutes later, she squeezed Robert's hand extremely tightly as she began to push. Robert kissed the shell of her ear and began murmuring softly to her with each push, encouraging her and telling her how proud he was of her. He watched as his wife delivered their baby, and felt anticipation bubbling within him when he saw for himself how close they were to holding their baby.

"You're doing amazing, Cora. Hang in there. Just the shoulders and head left. You can do this."

She leaned into him and gave another good push. Soon, the couple was watching as their little girl was being washed and checked over by the nurse, crying and whimpering softly. "Someone really wants her Mama," the nurse said kindly as she handed the wrapped bundle to Cora.

Once things were cleaned up, the doctor and nurse gave their congratulations a final time, along with a promise to check on mother and baby in a few hours before leaving them overnight, and then left to give the new parents time with their baby.

"Our little Edith Amelia," Robert smiled happily as he watched their second little girl open her eyes for the first time and adjust to the light around her. "She's so beautiful. Thank you for giving her life, Cora," he said sweetly as he gave his wife's cheek a soft peck and then settled himself beside her on the bed.

"You know, I was mad at you for a moment," Cora confessed, "When the pain was really bad, I was angry with you for getting me pregnant. But then you showed up and held me through it, and now our amazing baby girl is here, and I realize I could never be mad at you for that. Not truly. You love me, and you have given me another little one as proof of our love. And nothing could make me feel more blessed or special than that."

"You are amazing, you know," Robert said sweetly with unshed tears in the corners of his eyes. "And so are Edith and Mary."

Cora leaned in and locked her lips with her husband in a tender kiss. "I love you," she said when they parted.

"I love you too," Robert echoed her sentiment. "I love all three of you girls and our little boy in Heaven more than you could possibly imagine. This family is my everything, and I promise I will do everything in my power to always be there for you and provide as much as possible for you."

"You already do," Cora assured him, "and that means the absolute world to me."

The pair smiled at each other with so much love in their eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of joy emanating throughout the room for a while until their newest addition to the family broke their silence with her tiny cries. She began rooting her little head against Cora's breast.

Cora stroked the babe's cheek to soothe her as she began to unbutton her gown with her other hand. "Now, don't you worry, Edith darling, Mama's got you. We will get this hunger sorted, and your little tummy will be full very soon."

As she soothed the baby, her fingers fumbled with the buttons, and she looked to Robert for assistance, "Robert, dear, can you keep her still while I adjust?"

"Of course, darling," he said as he leaned in closer and gently supported their baby's head and caressed the little bit of downy blonde hair there so Cora could use both hands to adjust her gown and guide the baby to her food source. When Edith began to nurse, Cora and Robert both fixed their gaze on her. She seemed so content in that moment, and they both felt so very lucky this baby girl was theirs.

"She's incredible," Robert whispered, as if speaking in a normal voice would make the baby stop her diligent suckling.

"She really is," Cora agreed in a similarly hushed tone. "Welcome to the world, Lady Edith Amelia Crawley. We are so very pleased to meet you."

A/N: Since we don't know Edith's middle name, I just chose something I thought was pretty and sounded aristocratic. Thanks for checking out this chapter! I hope y'all are still enjoying this fic.