Finaly reunited! Also new charicter here, Iain/Scotland belongs to Simply a Writer!
A few hours later, Al was shaken awake. "Sir, we need to move!" He sits up still weary and turns to Arthur.
Arthur was still out of it and too weak to move. Two men were already getting him onto a stretcher. "Here, I'll help..."
Alfred places his hand again and transfers a little more. It was definitely harder that with Matt but still doable. It left his own reserves pretty low though. The soldier pulled him to his feet, trying to rush him on. The men with Arthur were long gone.
He leans heavily on the man as he gets lead out. He walked him towards a large complex, a military fort. Arthur was already at the gates.
"When we get there take me to my brother." He tells the soldier. "Don't let them separate us too much or bad things will happen."
"We didn't intend to sir, you and Kirkland are being taken to Scotland in about an hour!"
He nods as they reach the building. He throws out his senses searching. There it was! Left wing, third floor. That little purple flame that was his brother. The soldier helps him over working their way up. They finally reach the door and make it inside.
Matthew lay in a medical cot, looking no better than Arthur had last night. He was wrapped in bandages and hooked up to a drip.
Alfred stumbles over tearing up slightly. He slides into the bed and carefully pulls him close. Since they were both so weak the best thing to do was merge their energies together until they could stand on their own again. He tugs on Matthews flame and envelopes it with his own, reaching out to his consciousness.
The little purple flame flickered and brightened, responding well to the familiar soul. Al smiles tiredly hugging him.
A tired whisper echoed through his head. *Al...? S'att you?*
*Finally found you Fuzzbutt.* He replies *Don't scare me like that again!*
*M'sorry... tried to c'me back, but...*
He pulls him closer, *It's fine, just stay with me this time ok?*
*Alright... I'll try... it kinda hurts...*
*Just rest. It'll be awhile before you're fixed up*
*You kinda hurt too... I can feel it...*
*Nothin I can't handle. I think we're heading to Scotland's soon anyway.*
*Really? That's nice...* the voice was fading.
Al worries for a minute before realizing he's just asleep. He sighs and closes his own eyes.
Only an hour went by before they were taken and bundled into a medical plane. Matt and Arthur like ghosts. Alfred looks over to Arthur, still clinging to Matt. He wasn't much better himself really.. At least Arthur was awake now. Suffering greatly, but awake ...
"Hey Artie.. Look I found him!" He says quietly.
Arthur shook his head tiredly. "One of the scouts found him... bloody reckless idiot, looking around camps and prisons..."
He smiles "Like you where any better."
Arthur grunted, wincing as his chest disagreed. "West Minister's still burning..."
Al frowns and reaches over taking his hand.
Arthur squeezed gently, skin cold and clammy. Alfred squeezed back. The plane rumbled to life and started moving. Arthur moaned, chest clenching as they took to the air. Alfred uses his thumb to rub Arthur's hand. Bringing his other arm around Matt closer.
Matt slept the whole way there. Arthur went through stages of discomfort, ranging from a slight ache to near asphyxia. Al never let's go of either, though Matt's fatigue had started mixing with his own.
A few hours later and they touched down in Scotland on a little private runway. Alfred sits up slightly after the plane stops jolting. He watches the door open.
It's a handful of maids. They offered Al a hand and carried Matt out on his stretcher, another helping Arthur. Alfred stumbles along, trying to catch up to the others.
They were lead inside. They were barely in the door when a flash of Ginger rushed passed them. "Artie, thank fuck!"
Al looks up at Iain watching him fuss over his little brother. He turns looking for where Matt got pulled off to.
Even the Scotsman looked battered and worn as he held his brother, more thankful of it than he'd even been seen before. If Al looked carefully, he'd see the start of bandages at the collar of his shirt.
He frowns feeling guilty again. If only he'd been able to help.. But the President insisted on their resolve to stay out of European fights, that is until Pearl Harbor happened..
Arthur sighed. "They got you too?!"
Iain coughed and nodded. "Only Edinburgh, Clydebank and Glasgow... I'll manage.."
"Manage?! Those are your three biggest cities! It's your capital!"
Al stumbles forward some looking for Matt again.
"Come on, you're going to bed," Iain rasped, his voice more gravelly than usual. "You too, Yankeedoodle... Mata's already up there."
He smiles tiredly and stumbles behind. Iain helped them both up the stairs, ignoring the fact that half of them made him wince and groan. He set Arthur in one room, then lead Al to the one next door. "Call a maid if you need ought..."
Al nods and smiles at him "Thanks for putting up with us." He reaches the bed and slides in next to Matt.
"Always there for family lad," he shrugged and left them be. Matt groaned.
Al turns to him and takes his hand. "Mattie?"
He mumbled something, eyelids twitching.
Alfred scoots closer, "I'm right here Matt.."
He whimpered. "Al..."
"Shhh I'm right here, it's ok." Al carefully hugs him.
Matthew cuddled into him and relaxed some. Al sighs at the contact. They were both exhausted now. He closes his eyes and drifts off.
They had a good sleep there... They were woken several hours later by Iain, who came baring food. "Hey... come on, you need to eat..."
Al blinked awake looking up. Someone must have taken his glasses. He sits up glancing sideways to Matt.
Matt groaned and rolled over. Iain sighed. "You can eat for the both of you... I just want goodness in him one way or another..."
Alfred smiles and takes a plate.
Iain perched on the bed. "You okay? Besides being knackered and looking after him..."
He sighs "He scared the shit out of me.. I had a nightmare then couldn't feel him afterwards. I was convinced he was dead and destroyed the camp I was at.. I just wandered around till I found Iggy's camp.."
Iain hummed. "Sounds like a barrel of laughs... Anything I can get yo-uh..." he stopped, tensing suddenly.
Al looks up "What's wrong?"
He grimaced and rubbed his chest. "They're back up north again tonight..."
Alfred frowns "This has got to stop.. You sure you'll be ok?"
"I'll be fi-ngh!" he flinched, folding over slightly.
Al sets the plate aside and grips his shoulder.
He rocked slightly, gritting his teeth in an effort to keep from yelling. Al just watches helplessly. Iain sat up straight, eyes burning with the flames of bombs as they destroyed his cities. Alfred grips his arm. Iain glared at the wall, strain clear on his face as he gripped his in return.
Iain's grip was almost painful, but Alfred was more worried about his uncle. A deep stain was starting to spread over his chest. He was white with pain, but refused to admit to it.
Al puts a hand to his chest trying to block the flow. Iain shook his head and gripped his wrist, gently pulling his hand away. He was shaking... Al watches him eyes filled with worry.
Iain growled, hyperventilating almost. Al reaches out again holding his arm with both hands.
Slowly, he started to calm, his discomfort lessening somewhat. He was still struggling to breathe though... Al looks to him worried and questioning.
Iain shook his head slightly. "M'fine..." Alfred wasn't convinced but knew better than to argue, he wouldn't get far if he did.
He got himself mostly under control and let go of Al's arm. "Sorry bout that..."
Al shakes his head, "It's fine." In truth seeing this on top of Arthur last night has him scared, not that he would let it show.
Iain just sat and breathed for a minute before getting up unsteadily. "I'll leave you to your food... need to clean up..."
Alfred watched him leave. Looking to the blood on his hand he sighs and leans back.
The door closed and seconds later, there was a yell and a thump. In the distance, a bomb shock echoing nearby. Al leaps up running unsteadily to the door. Iain was on his knees just outside the room, hands clutching his heart as it splurted blood onto the carpet.
Al kneels next to him slightly panicking now. Iain choked and groaned, yelping as another bomb echoed outside.
Alfred looks up at the sound then turns back to Iain. He grips his arm and tries to help him up. Iain gripped him tightly, body threatening to shut down on him. "Fuck!" Another explosion and more blood.
They were getting closer.. His heart pounded as he hauls Iain to the bathroom. He sets him down and rummages through the cabinets. Iain slumped against the wall, starting to moan and whine as the bombs got closer and closer... He couldn't breathe!
Al was shaking now. He opens Iain's shirt and try's to patch him up. Iain didn't resist. He only stopped him once to puke blood into the bath. He was sat on the toilet and hadn't the strength to move fast enough.
Al does a rough job but it holds. He sits back trembling. Iain just slumped against the wall, panting. Alfred reaches over touching Ian's shoulder.
He reached up and patted his hand. "M'alright lad... s'gone now... passed..."
Al sighs but couldn't stop shaking. Iain sat for a minute more before forcing himself up again. "Let's clean up..."
Alfred helps the best he could, but soon gets weak from being apart from Matt to long. When they're fused like this they can't go very far from each other.
Iain noted the blonde's fatigue and instantly rated it over his own. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "C'mon... get you back to bed..."
"But I wanna help.."
"No... if not for yourself, then for Mata..."
He sighs as they reach the bed. He slips in and takes Matt's hand. The plates still sitting there. Iain settled the sheets around them like a fretful mother before sitting on the side again. He looked like he'd pass out. Alfred looks back at him worried.
"Mind if I join you?" he chuckled, trying not to wince. "Fraid I can't get too far right now..."
Alfred smiles and scoots over, snuggling close to his brother. Iain kicked off his shoes and lay back in to the bed, groaning painfully. Al reaches over and takes Iain's hand before nodding off. Iain smiled weakly, squeezing his hand before passing out with him.