Hi everyone. Please, please, please forgive me for not updating this story in such a long time. If you are on Tumblr, then you know that my dad passed away and it has been quite difficult dealing with that and keeping things straight in RL as far as helping my mom and my family deal with such a tough thing. Many of you have reached out and sent some very kind words. I can't tell you how much they mean to me! Thank you to those of you who did. Thank you also to those who gave a gentle nudge to continue this story. I love the Chelsie fandom so much. I have begun reading many of the stories again and honestly, they keep me going. Now that I am back into the flow of things and I'm writing again, I will be sure to start reviewing as well. Thanks to everyone for your patience. Hopefully this chapter doesn't disappoint. I will try my best to have regular updates from this point on. Please let me know what you think. Happy New Year to all!

"Don't be worried," Elsie said, reaching over and placing her hand on his knee. He took his left hand off the steering wheel and placed it on top of hers, giving it a small squeeze and smiling a bit.

"I'm not," he replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Charles Carson, you are a horrible liar," she said, shaking her head. After a moment, she decided to placate him, knowing that this was a big deal. "Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. However, you can carry the muffins in. If she sees you bringing them, she'll know you know Beryl, and one of the ways to Becky's heart is through Beryl's food. So there you go," she said matter-of-factly. Charles just nodded his head a bit as he pulled the car into the parking lot. When he turned it off, he looked over to the beautiful woman sitting in the passenger seat and smiled, leaning over to give her a brief kiss on the lips.

"Okay," he said, "Let's do this."

They walked hand-in-hand down the corridor towards Becky's suite section of the home. As they walked, Elsie said hello to those who passed them. When they turned the corner to enter Becky's suite, they almost bumped into Dr. Clarkson. "Dr. Clarkson, hello," Elsie said, reaching out to shake his hand.

"Ms. Hughes, good to see you," he said, looking between her and Charles.

"And you, Dr. Clarkson," Elsie replied. "It's Elsie, please. May I introduce Charles Carson, my...," and Elsie hesitated. She had yet to introduce him with a title to anyone. In her mind the word boyfriend seemed so juvenile. She thought quickly...partner? Companion? Lover? All too blah, mundane, or inappropriate, she thought. "Significant other," she said quickly, not liking the sound of that either.

Charles immediately reached out and shook Dr. Clarkson's hand, saying, "Haha! Great to see you again, Rich! It's been, what, almost ten years, at least?"

Dr. Clarkson shook Charles' hand enthusiastically, placing his other hand on his shoulder. "Indeed, it has, my good fellow. Can't seem to get away for alumni weekend the past few years. I am going this year, though. I already sent my paperwork in. Please tell me you are? We can't have the younger alumni beating us on the cricket pitch and lord knows we need you to solidify a win," he said, shaking his head. "And Robert, will he be attending?" Dr. Clarkson asked excitedly. Elsie just stood back shaking her head at the interaction going on in front of her, awed at the ability of two people, who apparently knew each other but hadn't seen each other in quite some time, could pick up and act as if a great amount of time hadn't passed since they saw each other.

"Yes, yes," Charles responded. "We will both be there, in our best whites and ready to play. It's in, what, three weeks time, I think?" Charles asked. Dr. Clarkson simply nodded his head. "Excellent," Charles said. "It'll be great to have you back!"

"It'll be good to be back," Dr. Clarkson said. He then looked over to Elsie, who was still standing aside, watching their interaction. "Elsie, you have an excellent gentleman right here. One of the best cricket players to ever come out of uni, he is!" Dr. Clarkson said excitedly.

"Is that right?" Elsie asked, looking over at Charles, with admiration, awe, and a little bit of annoyance that she was just learning this information. Charles simply smiled sheepishly.

Dr. Clarkson then piped up. "Are you kidding me?" he said, looking between Elsie and Charles. "She doesn't know?" he asked. Charles merely shook his head. Clarkson looked between both of them. "Well, I won't be the one to tell her, Charles, but be sure you do," he said. "Let's just say he still holds most of the records at uni for the cricket," Dr. Clarkson said. Elsie looked over at Charles, her eyebrows raised on her forehead, both in awe and question. "Well, I must get on, but Elsie, can you stop into my office before you leave? I have Becky's latest bloodwork and I just want to go over it with you," he said as he made to walk away.

"I will," she replied as he was walking backwards down the corridor.

"Great seeing you, Charles!" he said. "See you in a few weeks, then!"

"That you will," Charles said, laughing a bit as he turned back to Elsie, noticing her look of disdain on her face. "What?" he asked innocently.

"How come you never told me you played cricket? And not only do you play, but you're quite good?"

Charles simply shrugged his shoulders. "It never came up," he responded.

"Hmpf," Elsie replied. "I guess we have a lot to learn about each other," she said, which both excited her and frustrated her at the same time. She felt as if she'd known Charles forever. They were seamless, almost, in the way it felt like they fit together, both physically and personally. However, this instance made her realize that they still had a lot to learn about each other.

Charles could sense her melancholy at the situation, so he put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "It's just details, my darling," he said. "The most important part is we know we fit. The rest is just details and the best part about it is we have a lifetime to learn about all of them." Elsie smiled softly at that commend, tipping her head up and kissing Charles' lips soundly and smiling.

"Okay then," she said, "are you ready to meet my biggest, most important detail?" she asked him.

"I can't wait," he said, taking her proffered hand and following her into Becky's suite.

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When they walked into the shared common room, Elsie noticed Becky sitting at a table by the window, reading a book. She didn't notice them when they walked in and only lifter her head when Elsie started walking towards her. Charles was a few steps behind and he saw the look on Becky's face as she lifted her eyes and noticed her sister. The brightness and excitement that filled her eyes at that moment was something beautiful to witness, Charles thought.

"Essie!" Becky yelled, putting her book down and spreading her arms to hug Elsie as she got close. Elsie bent down to embrace her sister, squeezing her tightly.

"Hello, love," Elsie said, kissing her sister on the forehead and standing back up. She took Becky's left hand in hers and turned to see Charles standing back a few feet with the muffin box in hand. He had the most adorable smile on his face as he was looking at them. "Becky," Elsie said, looking back to her sister, "I'd like you to meet Charles Carson, my…" and there she was stuck again.

But it didn't matter, Becky filled in for her. "Your boyfriend," she said, smiling shyly. Elsie rolled her eyes a little. At that, Charles stepped forward, reaching his right hand out and taking Becky's right hand, shaking it delicately.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Becky," Charles said in a low tone. Elsie had to giggle a little at his effort not to speak so loudly and robustly. Becky nodded her head and looked at the box in Charles' left hand, her eyebrows going up in a questioning manner on her forehead. Charles chuckled at that, thinking that she looked just like Elsie when she did that. "We brought muffins," Charles said, lifting the box a little in indication.

"Not just any muffins," Becky responded. "Beryl's muffins!" she said, excitedly.

"Yes," Charles replied, "There are no other muffins that could be had after one has Beryl's muffins," he said, making his way around the table and sitting next to Becky. Elsie stood watching him, noting how easily he was settling in. He looked up at her and silently questioned whether or not she was going to sit down too. She briefly nodded and took the seat on the other side of her sister. "Now, Beryl tells me your favorites are the pistachio and the double chocolate," Charles said. "I, for one, favor the pistachio, so we brought a few of those. Which would you like to start with?" he asked, taking some napkins out of the bag and then opening the box.

Becky thought for a moment and then said, "Pistachio, I think."

"Ah, a fine choice. I think I'll join you in that endeavor." He took out two pistachio muffins, placing one on a napkin in front of Becky and the other down in front of himself. He then reached into the box and took out another muffin, placing it on a napkin in front of Elsie. "For you, my darling, cranberry almond," he said, smiling at Elsie.

She nodded her head in thanks and then looked at her sister, who was looking between them and smiling. "Shall we?" Elsie asked.

"We shall," Becky said, reaching for her muffin and trying to take the paper wrap from the bottom. Elsie was working on her own and didn't realize right away that Becky was having some difficulty. However, before she could set her own muffin down, Charles had already reached over and begun helping Becky.

"So," he said, "What were you reading when we walked in?" Becky smiled in thanks when he had gotten the wrapper off and took a bite before answering.

"Mmmmmm," she said. "So good. Tell Beryl I say thanks!"

"You can tell her yourself," Elsie said. "She is coming in later this week, she said."

Becky nodded and then turned to Charles. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," she replied. Charles nodded. "It's my second time reading the series," Becky said. "I love the books. And the movies," she said, a sparkle in her eye. "Have you read the books, Charles?" she asked.

"As a matter of fact, I have," he responded, looking over to Elsie and seeing the look on her face. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "I just never pictured you as being one who was into Harry Potter."

Charles huffed back, acting affronted. "And why not? Those books have become part of our national identity. It would be ridiculous not to have read them," he responded.

Becky laughed at that, looking between Charles and Elsie. "I had to beg Elsie to read them," she told Charles.

Elsie looked shocked. "You did not!" Elsie responded. "I was just busy at work. I didn't have time."

Becky just shook her head. "Excuses," she said. "You just didn't think you'd like them. Not your usual style of reading. But," she said, looking directly at Charles, "little sister knew best in this instance, and she loved them, didn't you Essie?"

Elsie laughed a little. "I did indeed," she said. "You were, in fact, right this time," she said, smiling at Becky and then looking over to Charles. "We had a movie marathon once I had finished and we watched a movie every time I came to visit."

"We should do it again!" Becky said excitedly. "You could join us, Charles!" she said, looking at him. "Have you seen the movies?" she asked.

Charles shook his head. "Only the first few," he responded. "I'd love to watch them, though," he said, taking the last bite of his muffin.

"It's a date, then!" Becky said excitedly.

After they talked for a while, Becky telling Elsie about her occupational therapy sessions for the week to help with her joint pain, Elsie said, "Do you mind if I run down to talk to Dr. Clarkson? He wanted to go over your latest bloodwork with me." Becky looked between Elsie and Charles.

"I can stay and keep you company," he offered. At that, Becky nodded at Elsie, telling her it was okay to go.

"Be back in just a little bit," Elsie said, standing. "Perhaps I'll get Dr. Clarkson to fess up and tell me some of your cricket stories," Elsie said, leaning down and kissing Charles briefly and then squeezing Becky's shoulder. She walked towards the door, looking back at two of the most beloved people to her and feeling a sense of calm, loving the way that Charles fit in with her life seamlessly, and enjoying the animated and excited way in which Becky interacted with him. She had a huge smile on her face as she walked down the corridor.

After about twenty minutes, and learning that Becky was doing well, aside from some elevations in her blood work indicating arthritis, Elsie made her way back to the common room. What she saw was something completely unexpected. There were other people in the room when she left, but they were all doing their own thing, spread out amongst the space. However, when she came back into the room, they were all crowded around the table where Charles and Becky sat. She walked in quietly, hoping to go undetected so that she could figure out what was going on.

When she got closer, she say Becky with her hand in a fist, held out as far as she could reach it. Charles then reached toward Becky's fist, taking his thumb and pointer finger and reaching to pull something out of her fist. Out of it came a read cloth. As Charles pulled, the red cloth turned into a blue one, and then purple, then orange, yellow, green and pink. The people around were collectively saying "Oooooh" and "Ahhhh." One observer yelled, "how did you do that?"

Charles just chuckled, smiling at Becky and said, "Magic!" Elsie noticed that Becky not only had a huge smile on her face, but she also had a look of pride as well. She was clearly enjoying the fact that this gentle giant magician was here as her guest. Just as Elsie was appreciating the joy on her sister's face, someone yelled, "Another, another!"

Charles chuckled and said, "Okay, one more." He reached in his pocket and took out a foam blue ball. He handed it to Becky, ensuring that he held onto it until her bent fingers had a tight grip on it. Then he asked, "Okay, assistant Becky, how many balls do you have in your hand?"

Becky held the ball up, looking at it closely and then said, "One."

"Are you sure?" Charles asked. Becky took the ball and switched it the the other hand, making sure there was only one. She then nodded. "Okay," Charles said, taking the ball back. He then gently placed it in Becky's palm and closed her fingers very delicately around it. "Hold that tight," he said. Becky nodded, looking at him in awe. Charles then took his index finger and tapped it lightly on Becky's fist. "What should our magic word be?" he asked.

One person yelled "Hocus Pocus!" Another yelled, "Ala-kazam!" Charles looked at Becky, silently asking her for their magic word. "Abracadabra!" she whispered.

"Okay, the assistant has spoken," Charles said to the audience. "Abracadabra!" he said, tapping Becky's fist again. After a moment, he gently turned her fist and asked her to open it. Out rolled not one, but two foam balls. Again, there were collective "ooohs and ahhhs" from the observers. "Hold on," Charles said, gathering the balls and placing them back in Becky's hand. "I thought you said there was only one Becky?"

Becky laughed immediately. "There was, Charlie! There was only one!" At the use of the nickname Elsie had for him, Charles raised his eyebrows and looked at the audience, immediately locking eyes with his beautiful woman. The twinkle in her eyes was radiant. He smirked at her and tilted his head.

"Let's try that again," he announced, looking back at Becky and closing her fist around the two balls. He held his own giant hand around hers and said, "Okay, you say it this time."

As he tapped her fist with his index finger, Becky said, "Abracadabra!" Charles then helped her open her fist and out came four blue foam balls. Again the people in the room were in awe and there was a lot of murmuring. Becky's face was lit up with the biggest smile Elsie had ever seen. She decided at that point it would be a good time to walk over to the stars of the show. "Essie!" Becky yelled. "Did you see that?" she asked. Elsie just shook her head. "Charles knows magic!" Becky said excitedly. "Did you know he knew magic?" she asked.

Elsie shook her head again and looked at Charles. "More details," she said to him pointedly.

He looked deeply into her eyes and replied, "But a perfect fit."

They would up staying for almost an hour longer, discussing when they could come again to watch a Harry Potter movie and Elsie went over what Dr. Clarkson had shared with her. Becky had to start a new medicine and Elsie explained that to her also. After shared hugs and Elsie and Charles wheeling Becky back to her room and settling her in, they were walking out of the home hand in hand. When they got to Charles' car, Elsie turned to Charles and put her hands on his chest.

"You're wonderful," she said, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him. He wrapped his hands around the small of her back and leaned down into the kiss, pulling her close to him as he did so.

"You're pretty wonderful yourself," he said as the kiss ended.

"No," Elsie said. "I really mean it. You were wonderful with her Charles. She was so comfortable with you from the get-go, and you acted as if you had known her for ages, helping her with her muffin and talking Harry Potter. And then the magic. Where the heck did the magic come from?" she asked, looking deeply into his eyes. "I better not find out that you are some crazy lunatic or something because right now you seem too good to be true. I think you should pinch me right now," she said.

At that comment, Charles moved his hand down to Elsie's bottom and pinched it a little. "Och! Charlie!" she yelled.

"What?" Charles asked, with a feigned innocent look on his face. "You said I should pinch you. I was only fulfilling your request," he said laughing. Elsie smacked him on the chest.

"Okay, maybe you're not too good to be true with behavior like that," she said, laughing as she turned and opened her car door. Just before she was going to get in, Charles took her hand and pulled her to him again, kissing her once more.

"I am crazy, Els, but just crazy in love...with you," he said, kissing her again.

"Flatterer," Elsie said, smiling at him with a look of adoration, pecking him one last time on the lips.

She got into the passenger seat and Charles shut her door, making his way to the driver's seat and getting into the car. Once he was in, he had to ask her, "So," he began, "What's with Becky calling me Charlie now, too?" At that, Elsie burst out laughing. He looked at her inquisitively, waiting for an explanation.

"I may have slipped and called you Charlie once or twice when talking to her about you. Looks like it stuck and she got it in her head," she explained. "Sorry!"

Charles shook his head. "Well, as long as it is only the Hughes ladies doing so, I can live with it. Now, if anyone at work starts with that, then you're in trouble," he said, smiling as he started the car. He felt Elsie looking at him, her eyes burning into him. "What is it, Els?" he asked.

"First of all, it seems as if you have found your nickname for me, hmmm?" she asked. He looked at her questioningly. "That's the second time you have called me Els," she explained.

"It wasn't intentional, to be honest," Charles replied. "It just came out that way," he said.

Elsie reached her hand over and squeezed his left knee a bit. "I kind of like it," she admitted. "Now, secondly, Charles Carson. With the way you were with my sister and how much she loved you, and after finding out you are not only a cricket star but a magician as well, I think you need to take me home so that I can show you exactly how much I am appreciating these details that I am learning about you." Charles looked over at her with wide eyes, his cheeks burning. "Now," Elsie said.

Charles proceeded to start the car. "Bossy," he said as he backed out of the parking lot.

"You better believe it," Elsie said. "Just wait and I'll show you just how bossy I can be!" she laughed. At that comment, Charles pushed his foot down on the accelerator a little harder.