All characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV.

Charles Carson walked swiftly up the stairs towards the drawing room. He'd been woken by the hall boy on night duty, because of the drawing room bell being rung urgently. He'd left his room in a hurry forsaking getting dressed and instead pulling on his robe. He entered the drawing room cautiously, and froze when he saw Dr Clarkson. Something had happened. Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Lady Grantham were sitting on the sofa their faces gaunt and expressionless, eyes rimmed with red. Mr Branson was absent from the room, as was Mr Crawley Charles noted unconsciously. Sir Philip was standing at the fireplace, staring into the flames ignoring the family. Charles looked towards Lord Grantham, who was standing staring out of the window.

"Can I help you milord?" He turned and looked at Charles, his eyes filled with unshed tears.
"I need you...I need you to inform the staff of..." Lord Grantham tailed off, the unshed tears finally falling. Charles was shocked and suddenly felt he was intruding on something private. Never in all his years at Downton had he seen Lord Grantham cry.
"I need you to inform the staff of Lady Sybil's passing," He finally managed. The blood froze in Charles' veins.
"Milord?" He whispered.
"She's dead Carson. She just stopped breathing. She was so young. It was so sudden," Lord Grantham's voice caught in his throat, and he slumped into his desk chair; his shoulders heaving with sobs.

Charles looked at Lady Mary, who was staring blankly at the sofa, and felt an overwhelming need to comfort her.
"Milady?" Lady Mary looked at him, then stood up and walked over to him. She moved into his arms and buried her head in his chest, shaking. Charles wrapped his arms around her protectively as she shivered in his arms. Lady Mary pulled away after several minutes, and moved back over to her mother and sister. Charles looked around at the stricken family, and decided to do what Lord Grantham had instructed He walked towards the door, and opened his reluctance to leave decreased as he revealed Mr Crawley. He knew now the Ladies would be looked after. He moved back to let Mr Crawley enter the room, who nodded his thanks.

Charles walked downstairs as if in a dream as the full implications of what had happened hit him. Lady Sybil Crawley was dead. Leaving behind a husband not yet integrated in her world, and a newborn daughter who would never know her mother. He decided to inform Elsie Hughes before the other staff, and walked upstairs unsteadily towards the woman's corridor. He opened the housekeeper's door, and walked over to her peaceful sleeping form.

Charles placed a hand on her shoulder, and she sat up urgently.
"Mr Carson! What on Earth are you doing in here?" She whispered, then saw the expression on his face.
"What's the matter?" Charles took a deep breath, then answered.
"Lady Sybil's dead," Charles resisted the urge to pull the love of his life into his arms as several expressions flickered over her face. Disbelief, shock, horror, hurt pain and finally sorrow.
"When?" She croaked.
"A short while ago," Elsie nodded then moved out of the bed and pulled on her robe.
"We should inform the staff, she muttered. Charles nodded, then quickly took her hand in his. She squeezed it back, promising comfort later. Then let go and left her room to wake up and gather the female staff. Charles wiped away a solitary tear from his cheek, then left to do the same with the male staff.

As said in description, this is based off a plot by Chelsie-Carson, so all plot rights belong to her.