He had been waiting for this for an entire month. The argument with Arthur meant that they had been separated and Francis desperately wanted to make it up to him. It had taken so long for him to set up this meeting and he didn't want it to go wrong. He bought himself a nice new tuxedo, and booked a table at Le Chartier, in Montmartre Paris. He believed the argument was his fault after all. It was all just a misunderstanding and he wanted to put it right. You see, England caught him kissing someone else…

One month earlier…

Francis had been out with Gilbert and Antonio to celebrate Antonio's birthday, and he was about to go home but Antonio persuaded him otherwise.

"The night is young Francis… " Antonio said as he downed another glass of wine. "And you can't go yet anyway, as I have bought us another round of drinks."

"Non… you are forgetting Antonio, I am a married man now…"

"Oh England will Understand…" laughed Antonio. "Just one more drink? What harm can it do?"

Reluctantly Francis had accepted that one more drink but it was the worst thing he could have done because he didn't remember anything after that. Apparently they had spent hours out drinking, him, Antonio and Gilbert, and they had lost all track of time.

Arthur was worried. He had been expecting Francis home around about midnight and it was 2am when he started texting him. He didn't get a reply even though he texted a few times. Eventually he called him and Francis answered.

"Where are you? It's 2 am, and you promised you would be home for midnight…"

"Mon Cher…" Francis replied. "I am at the Moulin Rouge… Je Suis Desole… I was having one more drink…" was all he said before Antonio grabbed his phone and cut him off.

"No talking to England tonight Francis!" he said in his drunken stupor. "It is my birthday and thanks to you we got into the Moulin Rouge free of charge… thank you!" he said "But if you talk to England he will want you to come home."

"And we vouldn't vant zat!" laughed Gilbert "Zis place is awesome…" he said as he went to chat to girls and boys.

"Moulin Rouge ey!" Growled Arthur as he threw his coat on. He had made up his mind to go down there and get him and as they were staying in Paris that weekend, he didn't have far to go. He should never have allowed Francis to go out with those two, he should have gone with them but he had been working hard that week and just wanted to stay in.

By the time he'd managed to get to Moulin Rouge, Francis was so drunk he didn't even know where he was or who, and he was so drunk that he didn't even see Arthur was there, watching him French kiss Antonio right in front of him.

Arthur left him that night, after a huge row, and Francis hadn't accepted responsibility for his actions. However, the phone calls this past week were encouraging. He hadn't meant to kiss Antonio, and he didn't really know what he was doing, but convincing his husband of this fact was not easy. He didn't see it the same way, he saw it as a betrayal. Francis had never known Arthur to be so upset, yes he'd seen him cry before and be very hurt, but that was something else. The look in his eyes was terrible, like nothing he'd ever seen. That's when he realised that this time he'd gone too far and Arthur was hurt , not just a little but a lot.

"You don't understand do you Francis?" he said on the phone earlier in that week. "I have put up with your flirting for so long now, and seeing you that night… it was just the final straw…" he said, trying to keep from crying, although it wasn't easy. "You're a married man and you were having an affair with Antonio…"

"Mon Cher…" Francis had tried to explain "It is not an affair, I did not even know it was happening… " he uttered and Arthur could hear the emotion in his voice. "Please… at least let me explain properly what I have done…" he said "I miss you so much Arthur…" he said and burst into tears as he spoke. Arthurs voice softened, and he tried to be a little more understanding.

"Don't… don't cry…" he uttered. "I just can't deal with this right now…"

"Do not put the phone down Mon Cher…" wept Francis. "Please, to come to Le Chartier, we will have dinner and we will talk non?" he said "In person."

"Francis…" sighed Arthur.

"Please? I know what I have done…"

"I don't think you do…" Arthur replied and sniffed. It was obvious he was crying too but he was better at hiding it.

"I just need to explain…" Francis said and cried some more over the phone. Arthurs heart turned over in his chest. Why did he feel so upset to hear Francis weep like that? Why did it hurt him so much to know that Francis was crying so?

"Alright." He eventually said as he tried to disguise the pain and anguish in his voice. "I'll see you this weekend. I promise." He uttered.

"Thank you…" Francis replied. "Arthur… I love you…"

"Yeah…" replied the Englishman in husky tones.

The time had come and Francis was ready to meet him at Le Chartier. Arthur had texted that he was already in there and had been shown to their table and was waiting. Francis made his way to the restaurant and waited in the rain to cross the road just outside.

When he thought the road was clear he stepped out and was running across when out of nowhere a car engine roared into life, echoing in the buildings around him and the next thing he knew he was on the ground, rolling around on the concrete, shocked and confused, and with no idea that the car had actually hit him. There were but a few shocked witnesses, but Francis picked himself up off the ground, with only the thought that he had to see Arthur, he didn't think about whether he could be hurt or not. As he entered the restaurant he stopped for a moment as a wave of pain hit him. He gasped and tears filled his eyes, but he still tried to bear it. Arthur sat at their table with his back turned, with no idea he'd arrived.

Francis tried to compose himself as he walked to their table and sat down opposite Arthur. This was supposed to be a perfect night, when he would show the man he loved how deeply he cared for him, the night he would win him back, but as he sat there, all he could feel was a terrible pain.

Arthur didn't realise at first that something had happened, but there was some sort of commotion outside the restaurant.

"I … I am so glad you could come Mon Cher…" Francis said in shaky breaths "I… I wanted tonight to be p..perfect for you but…"

"I came because I wanted to hear your side of things." Arthur uttered. "I… am perhaps willing to believe that it was… something unknown to you. That you were in fact drunk… but it keeps happening Francis… you are a married man and…" The Englishman stopped and looked horrified as he stared at his husband sitting opposite. He didn't look good, in fact he looked terrible.

"I have been hurt Arthur…" he cried. "The car came out of n…nowhere…"

Arthur gasped as he saw the state Francis was in, and noticed that his head was bleeding, and he was shaking and trembling.

"Francis… oh my God!" he gasped as the Frenchman sank to the floor in pain. He ran to his aid and hugged him. "Why didn't you wait for help…? Why?" Arthur cried as he held him, then he called out to the staff. "Please we need help! Get an ambulance NOW!" he cried and turned to Francis.

"I just didn't want to let you down…" sobbed Francis. "I didn't mean to hurt you M… mon Cher…" he uttered as he cried in Arthur's arms.

"Don't worry darling… lets just get you to the hospital alright?" Arthur replied in soothing tones. "I am willing to believe you didn't mean to hurt me… but we must get you well again." He uttered. "My poor love… you mean more to me than the world…"

"Please don't leave me…" Francis sobbed. "Je t'aime…"

The ambulance arrived and Arthur accompanied him to the hospital where he was made comfortable. His life wasn't in danger as such but he had broken bones, and needed some tender loving care. Arthur stayed with him all night and dried his tears when he cried.

"I love you too Francis." he whispered. That was the first time Francis had heard him say it in that whole month. It wasn't the perfect night he promised Arthur, but maybe, just maybe they could get through this.