Hello, my lovelies!
Here it is. The final chapter. And it's...well, fluff. A LOT of fluff. As I already told one of my friends who so kindly agreed to read this story as well, I fear this is going to be very kitschy and sentimental, but I couldn't do anything about it, it just flooded out of my brain like this and I was unable to stop it. Ok, it actually got worse when I tried...so I finally just went with it, ignored it whenever I felt it might not have been quite in character and hope now that no one will think it to be too much of a cliché...
Soooo...it seems I just needed this (because we would never have gotten it in the series) and that's what fanfic is for, isn't it? Hope you are the sort of people who think that there is no such thing as too much fluff XD
I also have to point out that I'm quite proud of the Violet-scene here, especially as it's completely out of my own quill (not literally, but you know;) and very excited what you'll think.

My biggest wish is that you will consider this to be a worthy and satisfying ending to my story, it would make me very proud to know that you liked it until the very end, and I'm grateful for everyone who stuck with me and this story from the beginning. I couldn't have been welcomed more warmly, the support has been so amazing and helpful and I appreciate every single reader and review. Thank you all!
And, to end with a quote from my favourite actress: I hope I've earned the privilege of your time.

o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o

"I'll be down to the village then, Mr Carson."

The Butler looked up from the wine list he had been studying and saw Mrs Hughes glancing through the door of his pantry.

"Ah, Mrs Hughes", he said, gesturing her to come in for a moment.

"Is anything the matter?", she asked slightly concerned as she closed the door. "Do you need me here? I don't have to go if-"

"Oh no, not at all", he quickly dismissed with a smile. "I...was just wondering if you would mind me joining you", he explained slowly. "It's not a very busy day, Barrow can take over for a few hours and there are some matters I need to attend to myself anyway, so why not go together?", he added quite matter-of-factly, but she could sense that he was in fact slightly nervous as he threw an almost shy glance at her.

"I would be delighted", Mrs Hughes told him truthfully, giving him a sincere and encouraging smile - to her delight and slight amusement, she could watch his unsure expression give way to one of happy satisfaction.

o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o

"Carson and Mrs Hughes?", the Dowager Countess of Grantham asked in hardly concealed astounding. "Really?"
Cora nodded confirmatory from the sofa opposite her mother-in-law.
"That's what Baxter said."

"And Carson himself", her husband added.

"It's true, then? Well, that will be...very interesting", Violet stated in a tone between disbelief, slight amusement and disapproval.

"Interesting, Mama?", Robert said questioningly, turning around from the fireplace where he was standing.

"Oh yes", his mother confirmed with her 'why do you even have to ask this'-expression.
"Just think of it. This house will be run by Mr and Mrs Carson! - Very confusing I shall say", she said with a superior look at her son, whose face, to her satisfaction, displayed the kind of shocked realisation that testified the undeniable truth behind her words.
"In my times", she went on with a solemn voice, "a Butler and housekeeper wouldn't have dreamed of marriage - let alone marrying each other! That's why housekeepers are called "Mrs", for heaven's sake!"

"I think it's wonderful", Cora proclaimed truthfully.

"So everyone keeps saying...", Violet muttered under her breath, but Lady Grantham, if she had heard, chose to skilfully ignore her.

"And it was just a matter of time, don't you think?", she went on with a smile.

"A matter of time?", her husband asked disbelievingly, the innocent cluelessness in person.
"You surprise me, Cora. I, for my part, didn't see that coming."

"That, my dear, is because you're a man", his mother declared knowingly. "Men never see anything coming. Least of all the obvious", she laughed lightly with a glance at Cora, likewise trying to suppress a smirk.

"Don't tell me you knew about this", Robert replied a bit cross with the insult, but having enough experience with his mother to know it was best to ignore her comments.

"Well, no", the Dowager Countess granted slightly indignantly, straightening herself to maintain the superior attitude she knew to radiate so very well.
"But then", she sighed solemnly, "one can't always be expected to be omniscient, I guess - not even I", she said seriously, taking a sip from her cup.
"It would be very exhausting indeed."

o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o

"Mrs Patmore!" The whispered voice of Anna reached the cook's ear as she stood in the kitchen, kneading bread dough.

"What is it?", she asked, looking up from her hands, but Anna just grinned meaningfully, waving Mrs Patmore to follow her in the corridor. Quite intrigued, the cook quickly washed her flour-dusted hands and went after her, Daisy sneaking not far behind the older woman to a window where Anna and Miss Baxter were glancing outside, both smiling dreamily.

"Look at them", Mrs Patmore said, laughing lightly as she spotted what -or who- the two women were watching.
"Thank God they finally got there in the end."
Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes were walking down the path that led away from Downton, side by side - close, yet not too close to draw any attention to it or even attract gossip about impropriety. However, even from afar you could easily tell the new won familiarity as they chatted, throwing glances at each other every time they thought the other wouldn't notice.

"Isn't it just so romantic?", Daisy sighed from behind the group of women standing around the window. "That they found each other after so many years of waiting?"

"Too many, if you ask me", Mrs Patmore declared and exchanged a look with Anna and Mrs Baxter, whose oppressive silence showed their agreement without needing words.

"They look happy though, don't they?", Anna said after a while, lightening the mood as she noticed amusedly how the two heads of staff would -as if by accident- brush their hands against each other's while they walked away.

"And they should be", Miss Baxter said softly, speaking aloud what everyone was thinking.
"They deserve it."

o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o

"It's so nice of you to accompany me", Mrs Hughes said as she and Mr Carson stepped out of the servant's entrance.

"Not at all", Mr Carson replied dismissively, closing the door he had held for her. They began to walk down the path and he considered if he should be so bold to tell her why he had asked - honesty, he had discovered recently, seemed to be far more productive when it came to Mrs Hughes, no matter how comfortable concealment might seem at first sight.
"It was for very selfish reasons, really", he therefore admitted, glancing to the ground in front of him. "I just wanted to spend a bit of time alone with you." Mrs Hughes could feel the blush creep up her cheeks.

"Now, Mr Carson", she said a little embarrassed, but mostly pleasantly surprised, if she was honest, "much more of that talking and you make me want to take a look in the mirror to see if my hair's tidy", she laughed. Mr Crason smiled to himself at those words and had she been looking back at him when his eyes lingered on her now, she would have seen the admiration shining from them as clear as it was confirmed by his next words.

"No need", he told her seriously, "I can assure you that you look absolutely beautiful."
The unexpected remark made her look back up at him, the amazement written all over her face.

"Do you really think so?", Mrs Hughes almost whispered, hopeful and insecure, as Mr Carson noticed slightly uneasy.

"Of course", he assured, wrinkling his brow. "You seem...surprised. Did you doubt it?"

"Well", she said, her eyes leaving his face to focus on the way in front of her, "I'm not...- I'm far from being a young girl, Mr Carson", she finally replied, resisting the urge to glance at him and his reaction. She waited nervously for him to say something, unsure if she wanted to hear it if he would - but no answer came. Instead, she felt his hand that had already brushed hers from time to time touching her elbow. This was not the apparently accidental sort of contact though, but clearly on purpose, leading her to stop in her walk.

"Would you mind sitting down for a minute?", Mr Carson asked cautiously as she threw a puzzled glance at him and pointed to a bench that stood almost hidden between the trees at one side of the path. She followed him without complaining as he led her to sit down before taking a seat beside her himself, neatly folding his hands in his lap and closing his eyes for a moment as if to gather his thoughts.

"Mrs Hughes...", he said then as he opened them again, capturing her with his gaze as much as the serious tone of his voice.
"Elsie." She blinked several times at the sound of this name, both familiar and strange in her ears, since no one had called her that for many years.
"I want you to listen closely now", he pointed out unnecessarily as she was already transfixed with every fibre of her body, -eyes wide and motionless while she stared at him- waiting for what was there to come.
"I know, I've waited far too long to say it", Mr Carson began apologetically, "but that doesn't make it less of the truth. I love you", he said slowly, accentuating every word. "More than words can say. I love everything about you, every smallest detail. From the way you bite your lip when you're nervous to your accent that increases when you're angry. I love that you're a hard and dedicated worker just as much as I have always cherished our meetings in the evenings. I have no idea how you do it", he said, shaking his head about his own disbelieving admiration, "how easily you manage to keep control over everything and everyone while always remaining the wonderful, warm and kind person that you are. Believe me", he said, taking hold of her hand as he spoke, "in my eyes, you are beautiful, inside and out."
He paused, looking at her expectantly, waiting if she would want to say something, craving for her to say something...and she would have - she certainly would have liked to tell him how utterly happy she was, for how long and how many times she had dreamed about him saying these things, how much she loved him in return. But her head was still muddled, overwhelmed...her thoughts needed to be organized to be able to form the proper words, so she did everything she knew she could manage now, smiling brightly, tears in her eyes, and squeezing the hand he had laid over hers. Mr Carson watched how she entwined their fingers and it was enough to make him gulp with held back tears as well.
"Ever since this day at the beach, I've been thinking about something you said", he suddenly whispered, the memory of the first time he had experienced the comforting warmth of her small hand in his playing in his mind. "That we could afford to live a little. I couldn't keep these words out of my head, or the fact that we aren't getting younger. It was the first time I've ever actually thought about retirement", he told her. "I had avoided it before. You know that I've never been someone who does particularly welcome change", he said meaningfully and Mrs Hughes couldn't help but chuckle slightly at this understatement. "But it was more than that", Mr Carson slowly went on. "When I thought about the years to come, I dreaded not only the idea of retirement itself - I discovered that it was actually the thought to be parted from you. I didn't care what was coming", he admitted, apparently still overcome by his own realisation, "I only knew that whatever it was, I didn't want to face it without you. That's the only thing that matters", he finished quietly, giving her a cautious smile, "you are the only thing that matters."
Without thinking, following a sudden desire, Mrs Hughes lifted her free hand to his face and cupped his cheek.

"How did I come to deserve you?", she whispered, stroking over the skin with her thumb, but to her astounding, Mr Carson chuckled slightly and shook his head while he laid his own hand over hers, drawing it to his lips to place a soft kiss on her palm.

"Oh, my love", Mr Carson sighed with a smile, "you actually deserve far better than me and I know it, but I'm afraid I'm too selfish to let you go."

"Thank God you are", she replied. "Although I believe everyone will think it's the other way around. I know how highly regarded you are in the village", she added explanatory before he could contradict her, "and rightful so. I'm sure, as soon as the news of our engagement has spread, there'll be some who think you could do better than the housekeeper", she finished, hoping that her light-heartedness sounded convincing.

"I highly doubt it", Mr Carson said warmly, sensing that she was troubled, even though she tried to hide it. How can't she see that I'm the one who's been blessed beyond any entitlement?
"Every man would be honoured to have you", he assured her insistently. "I consider myself very lucky indeed." He was glad to see a gentle smile appear on her face and her voice was just as soft and loving when she spoke, patting his hand reassuringly.

"I know you do", she said. "Never mind me and my stupid worries. I should actually be glad to be soon the envy of every woman in the village", she added jokingly, but Mr Carson remained serious.

"Never tell me not to mind your worries, Elsie", he said and it quickly shot through her head that she could easily get used to that name before her attention returned to his words. "I do mind, of course I mind", he reaffirmed, his eyes never leaving hers for even a second. "But I can tell you this - whatever anyone else may say or think, it shouldn't bother us", he said to her surprise. It was strange to hear him say something like that - him, a man who placed a high value on propriety and reputation. Nevertheless, there could be no question that he meant what he said. "All I need to know", he went on, dispelling what might have been left of her doubts, "all I need you to know is that I love you. I am...happy and tickled and bursting with pride that you would agree to be my wife. Everything I wish for is for us to live as closely as two people can for the time that remains to us on earth - and I will gladly tell everyone who happens to ask."

Mrs Hughes could do nothing but to nod, squeezing her mouth and eyes together for a second to hold back the tears that were threatening to get the better of her. She could feel how his hands left hers and was already missing the contact, but he had only let go to be able to gently wrap his arm around her shoulders instead. He drew her a bit towards him, glad to notice that she immediately leaned into it, welcoming the embrace that promised all of the warmth, love and comfort both had been longing for such a long time and that was now finally going to become a reality.

"You have no idea how much I love you", Mrs Hughes whispered when she had calmed and found her voice again, sighing when he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"If it's only half of what I feel about you, I couldn't wish for more", she heard his gentle voice as she closed her eyes with a smile.
They sat like this for a while, enjoying the moment and comfort, the fact that they were finally able to just follow where their hearts were leading.

o~o~o~o~o

Charles hated that he had to disturb the atmosphere. He could gladly have stayed there for the rest of his life - they couldn't be seen from the path or the house, but they still had to make their way to the village and back, and surely, someone would start to wonder when they stayed away for too long. They were still the heads of staff after all...although it didn't feel like that right now, he discovered. Alone, they could stop being "the Butler" and "the housekeeper", they didn't even need to be Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes - they were simply Charles and Elsie now, just themselves, and he liked this thought more than he could ever have imagined he would like not being the Butler of Downton Abbey anymore. Perhaps retirement wouldn't be so much of a trouble after all...

"I'm afraid we should get on", he whispered softly in her hair, receiving only a disapproving murmur that made him chuckle. "Come on, Mrs Hughes", he said willfully professionally, releasing her from his embrace and standing up. He stroked over his coat, straightening the folds, when her cautious voice made him turn around again.

"Charles?" She had never called him that before and although he had always loved her voice, the sound of his name on her lips made a slight pleasant shiver running down his spine.

"Mhm?" He faced her again, surprised to see a rather insecure expression on her face, almost troubled, so he followed her invitation when she patted on the bench beside her and sat back down in concern.

"Would you...-?", Mrs Hughes began reluctantly, unsure how to express what she wanted to ask without appearing too bold - wondering what he would think of her, but unable to hold back any longer.
"I mean...I would very much like it if...", she tried, looking down at her hands in her lap. "- if you would kiss me", she finally breathed out, knowing there was no other way to say it.
"Properly, I mean", she clarified with a glance at him, quickly averting her gaze again when she felt a familiar heat creep up her cheeks.

"Really? Are you sure?" He tried not to sound too hopeful, just in case she would change her mind and he would have to hold back his disappointment, but the various emotions displayed by his voice made Mrs Hughes misunderstand their meaning.

"You don't need to, of course...", she quickly told him, failing to conceal her embarrassment, "if you don't want-" But he silenced her before she had even brought the sentence to an end.

"What on earth would make you think that I don't want to?", he asked disbelievingly, shocked that she could have had such an impression. "Believe me, I've dreamed of nothing else for decades", he told her truthfully, relieved that the worry began to fade from her eyes.

"Honestly?"

"I have never been more honest about anything", he assured, smiling softly. "And I hoped you would ask me one day", he then admitted. "I didn't want you to think I'd take advantage of you."

"I would never think that", Mrs Hughes said, smiling lovingly as well now. "Although I should warn you, perhaps", she laughed lightly. "It's been a very long time, since...- let's just say I may be a bit out of practice."

"That will be just fine", he declared, feeling quite relieved, if he was honest, "as I can't claim to offer much experience either. It actually makes me very proud to hear you say that."

"Proud?"

"It means that you're truly mine", he explained quietly, stroking over her cheek with the back of his hand, "and mine alone..."

"I have always been", Mrs Hughes whispered back, a truth she had kept locked within her heart since she could remember. "Why do you think I rejected Joe Burns? Twice?", she asked, still not believing that he had been oblivious towards what she thought -had feared- must have been as clear as day. "From the very first moment we met, I knew I would be completely and utterly yours."

Even if she hadn't asked him, he didn't know if he would have been able to hold himself back from kissing her. Perhaps he would have taken a liberty she wasn't willing to grant by doing so, but fortunately, she had taken him out of this misery.
He had been more open and honest today than he would ever have dared to dream before, laying his heart bare to her like he had never done to anyone else, and still, he felt there weren't enough words in his vocabulary to adequately express what he held in his heart for the woman in front of him. It had always been there, hidden from the world, yet barely under the surface, bubbling and growing day by day, sometimes almost impossible to be contained. He had been dreaming about how it would be when he didn't need to any longer, not daring to hope that this time would ever come - but it had. And as it turned out, she had needed to hear him say it just as much as he had needed to make himself understood.
Now, however, there was neither need for words nor the possibility to verbalize their feelings but by showing them through the one language that remained...the language of love.

He stepped towards her, his heart nearly bursting with anticipation when she leaned in his direction as well. He could feel the warmth she was radiating -both in body and soul- before his hand had even touched her, lingering in the crook of her neck while he slowly closed the distance between them, watching her features until the very last second when his warm lips finally touched her soft ones and he had to close his eyes.
It didn't last for more than a few seconds and neither Mrs Hughes nor Mr Carson would have dared to allow any of the desire they kept locked inside of them to show, but it was perfect anyway - this chaste first kiss was everything they needed, the last first kiss for both of them.
And when Mr Carson leaned back to press his lips against her forehead, her soft sigh like music in his ears, there was an understanding between them that no words in any language in the world could have created. When he hugged her and her arms wrapped around his broad figure in return, it felt like coming home.

Charles Carson had never been a man of the future.
He didn't like change in the least, usually. But this one time, he was really looking forward to whatever was there to come.