Gwaine and Percy, and some of the other section heads, were out at the pub with their boss. Arthur Pendragon had been running the American branch of the Pendragon and Son, the firm of accountants they worked for, but had recently returned to start taking over the head office from his father. He was a different man than his father, Uther Pendragon, who ran the company like a small kingdom with him as the king, Arthur was more relaxed and friendly. Having said that he still didn't suffer fools gladly, but if you were willing to work hard he was a good boss to work for. One of the things that had started to happen, quite by chance was the Friday evening get together in the pub after work. It allowed them all to get to know one another socially and seemed to be working well. When Arthur had first arrived they had all thought he was a chip of the old block, but these get together's had allowed them to see the real Arthur, who was more relaxed and fun than they had first thought.

As they were about to go their separate ways Gwaine turned to Arthur "We're having a small get together tomorrow at our place, to watch the cup match you're welcome to come"

Arthur looked up surprised it was the first tie he had been asked to socialise outside the Friday sessions. "That would be great thank you"

Gwaine gave him the address and time before they went their separate ways. So the next afternoon Arthur turned up at a larger than expected house with a few cans of beer under his arm. He hadn't expected Gwaine to live in such a large house, he knew the other man had a live in girlfriend but this place must be at least four bedrooms. He knocked on the door and Percy came to let him in. "Welcome to our home" he told Arthur as he took the beer. "Go on into the lounge while I put this in the kitchen the others are in there." Percy pointed to the large living room opposite "Would you like a beer now? He asked

"No not yet, I'll have one later." Arthur walked on through the door Percy had indicated to find a large and sunny room. Gwaine stood up as he entered "Hi Arthur let me introduce you to everyone" he pointed to the woman he had been sitting next to "This is Elena my partner and Mithian Percy's partner and you know Lance already and by him is Gwen his wife in a minute we will be joined by Gwen's brother Elyan. To those who don't know him this is Arthur Pendragon. Glad you could make it"

They were soon sat talking about the various merits of the game and the teams. It was a pleasant change for Arthur who hadn't made many friends since his return from the states. During the course of the conversation he mentioned that his brother in law was a keen supporter of one of the teams. "Bring him along next time and your sister" Gwaine told him. We have this get together every Saturday to watch footy. There's plenty of room. You don't mind do you Mithian?" Gwaine asked Percy's partner.

"Oh I thought this was your place" Arthur said to Gwaine.

"It is, but it's also Percy and Mithian's we house share"

Arthur clearly looked surprised and Gwaine laughed at his expression "It works well, it made sense at the time me and Perc flat shared before"

Mithian laughed "Neither of them were willing to let the other look after Freya and as both Elena and I adore her we decided to all get a house together."

Elena grinned "Anyway with rentals around here being so high it also allowed us to get a really nice place."

With that Arthur dropped the subject he hadn't realised either man would be that keen on a pet but if it worked that was good with him. Then Elyan arrived and once Arthur had been introduced they were all soon watching the football with cheers and shouts of disappointment depending on who scored. During half time the women went out and got some refreshments for them all. Mithian also asked Arthur if he was staying to the evening meal "It's only a take away but your welcome to share"

Arthur agreed as long as he could pay his share. Just as the match finished Gwaine's phone rang and he jumped up and grabbed his coat "Won't be long just going to get Freya." With that he was gone.

That puzzled Arthur even more but twenty minutes later Gwaine returned with a young woman in her early twenties. She was a shy woman with long brown hair and a sad air about her. Arthur was immediately attracted too her she had large brown doe like eyes and there was just something about her that caught his interest. Arthur was soon introduced to her and then she went off to change.

"So that's Freya, the way you were talking earlier I thought she was a pet!" Arthur explained.

Gwen laughed "She is but not in the way you think! But I see where you're coming from. No she's like a sister to Gwaine and Percy, they're her guard dogs, and hence she isn't allowed to get the tube home after work"

"So what!" Gwaine demanded "She's a good girl and there's a lot of weird people out there."

Freya came back into the room and Gwaine and Percy instantly made room for her between them on the sofa "Come here princess" Gwaine said with a grin "How did work go?"

"Fine we were busy today Uncle Gaius is thinking of getting some more help" Freya told Gwaine "He's getting old and I think it's too much for him but he won't give up."

Elena turned to Arthur "Freya works for her Great Uncle in an apothecary shop that makes and dispenses herbal medicines"

"That sounds interesting"

"It is but we're getting busier and busier as people turn more to herbal medicine, and Uncle Gaius is in his seventies" Freya looked worried "I sometimes think he keeps going because I work for him and that's not fair"

Percy put his arm round Freya "He loves his shop and you"

"I know but you all think of me before yourselves and you shouldn't I can cope" Freya said "I should stand on my own two feet more"

To Arthur this sounded like a long standing argument and he wondered the story behind it, after all it was unusual for two men, who were unrelated as far as he knew, to be so attached to a young woman that they were unwilling to move on even when they had each had a partner. There must be something extra special about Freya. The doorbell rang and the take away had arrived, Mithian and Freya took the food into the kitchen then called everyone in to help themselves. At nine Arthur said his goodbyes and promised to come again the next week He had thoroughly enjoyed himself, he even promised to ask his sister and husband if they wanted to come.

The following week Arthur asked his sister Morgana and Leon her husband if they wanted to go on the following Saturday, they decided to join them first on the Friday before going to a strangers house. Morgana was pleased to see her brother making friends and mentioned it to him "You have soon got back into things Arthur"

"They're good people and fun to be with" he told her. "It's nice to socialise out of work"

"America has changed you" Morgana said to him "I'm glad you were turning into a junior version of Uther"

Arthur laughed "Heaven forbid, it was a good thing I was sent there, I didn't like it to start with but I know it did me good. Father's ways aren't for me I realise that now but before I thought I had to do everything he said. You know he's already starting to try to set me up with dates from his friends children, do you remember Sophia? I had quite an argument about that, then when he found out I was socialising with the 'lower staff' he hit the roof."

"You would have done as you were told before" Morgana commented

"I would, but a couple of years away from him has let me mature and make my own life" Arthur grinned "I think father's regretting it now"

"The sooner he moves over the better, mind you he's right about one thing you need to find someone" Morgana looked at her brother "You have haven't you?"

"Go away you witch, no I haven't. I have seen someone but I haven't even got to know her yet. So back off, if anything happens I'll let you know" Arthur admitted as his mind went back to Saturday and Freya. "She might not even be interested"

"What in the great Arthur Pendragon! I thought you were the most eligible bachelor going" Arthur's sister said sarcastically.

"I don't know where you get these things from" Arthur said

"You"

The next Friday they all met up as usual at the pub as promised Morgana and Leon arrived to join them. Gwen and Morgana hit it of straight away and were soon chatting away like long lost friends. Leon had been friends with Arthur since school and it was nice to expand the group outside of the work mates. They all arranged to meet up at Gwaine and Percy's as always for football on the Saturday. As soon as Freya had been collected by Percy they sat and chatted while they waited for the takeaway to arrive. Morgana soon spotted her brother's interest in Freya so made a point of talking to the girl, after all she needed to check her out for her brother sake. Morgana didn't want her brother getting mixed up with a gold digger.

As the previous week Freya was sat between Percy and Gwaine but when they got up to get their food Morgana made her move and sat down before Gwaine could. She started to chat to Freya but was getting nowhere, the girl was very shy and withdrawn, and the minute she ate her food Freya disappeared upstairs and didn't come back.

"I hope it wasn't something I said" Morgana said.

Gwaine looked towards the stairs "I'll go and check on her"

Mithian seeing Morgana's expression took pity on the other girl "It's not your fault Morgana, It's coming up to the anniversary of her brother's death, he was all she had besides her great uncle and they were very close."

Morgana and Arthur both looked upset but it was Arthur who asked "When did he die?"

"It was four years ago this Wednesday, he was murdered" Percy said quietly. "I don't think we will ever get over it" with that he followed Gwaine upstairs.

"I'm sorry" Arthur said I shouldn't have asked.

"If you're going to be friends with us you need to know" Mithian said "He was murdered by an abusive boyfriend. They blame themselves. His name was Merlin, he was Freya's older brother and shared a flat with Gwaine and Percy when he met Cenred, no one liked him but Merlin fell head over heels. He moved in with him after only knowing him for a few months. Then he gradually stopped seeing the boys, they fell out when they tried to warn Merlin about him. Then one night Merlin rang his sister and told her to get to Gwaine and Percy and stay there. He sounded scared so she did as she was told. Freya was living in a shared flat with a couple of other girls. When Gwaine opened the door and Freya explained he and Percy went straight to the flat and forced their way in. They found Merlin… Gwaine held him as Merlin died in his arms. He'd been beaten to death." Mithian stopped speaking overwhelmed.

Then Gwaine's voice took over from the door "The bastard had been hitting Merlin after only a week of him moving in, he told Merlin if he left or told anyone they'd hurt Freya. Then Cenred started to film what he was doing and selling it on a sick website. They found the tapes afterwards. He went too far and killed Merlin. He was covered in cigarette burns and had broken bones and internal injuries and it was our fault." Gwaine had tears running down his face "He was my best friend and I let that happen to him. As he took his last breaths he begged me to look after his sister. He'd only be living there for eight weeks and he was dead." Percy had also come down stairs and put his arm round Gwaine

"We both went to school with Merlin, he was a few years younger than us and the sweetest gentlest man I ever knew" Percy went to the cupboard and poured himself and Gwaine a drink of whiskey.

Arthur, Morgana and Leon looked at each other in astonishment "I'm so sorry" Arthur said not knowing quite what to say.

Morgana looked up clearly very upset "I remember the case now it was all over the papers and television"

"Now you know why we look after Freya, we let her brother and our friend die worse than a dog he was only twenty six. We will look after her for as long as she needs us, she's family now" Gwaine said his tone very bitter. "We should have killed him. I will regret that as long as I live, he wasn't even remorseful. When the do gooders speak of not making it hard for prisoners they don't think about the victims and their families, we will never get over it. He should have suffered like he made Merlin suffer"

Elena went over to her partner and hugged him "Is Freya alright?"

"I gave her a sleeping tablet, let her sleep" Gwaine said.

Leon stood up "Thank you for telling us, you're right we did need to know. I think it best if we go now. Let us know if there is anything we can do"

Arthur Morgana and Leon took there leave, allowing the others to recover in privacy. They had arrived together in Arthur's car and as he took the others back to their house they sat in silence each lost I their own thoughts. Once back at Morgana's they had a coffee before Morgana spoke "I remember the case it caused quite a stir at the time. It's funny it's not until you know who was involved that the horror of the aftermath becomes clear."

"He got life as I remember but appealed and then got a retrial claiming his human rights had been violated as the jury and judge were bias, it went right up to the European Courts. Poor Freya, bad enough one court case. On the second trail the sentence was increased, he won't ever get out. It went on for three years in and out of court." Leon said

"So they've only had a year to grieve properly." Arthur observed "He might not get out of prison but nor will the friends and family". He paused "That explains her haunted look"