AN: Here i am with a double update i promised... friday... yeah... I'm sorry, i really really hate my computer now... like you don't know how much... i had to make a new account cause its stupid and wouldn't let me do anything... ugh... anyway enjoy part one of the double update, please give these chapters some love...
"Goodnight." Gwaine walked out of the room and back to Arthur. "Hey."
"Hi," Arthur smiled, turning from where he was chatting with Gwen. She scurried away and Arthur focused his attention on his friend. "How's Merlin? Will he let me care for him until he's well?"
"He will, could I trouble you to go and take care of Cuilén for tonight?" Gwaine asked. "I've already left him alone for enough time, Merlin doesn't like him to be alone, and neither do I."
"Yeah, that's fine," Arthur nodded, a crease in his forehead. "How come you don't like him being alone? He's in high school, isn't he?"
"He is only thirteen." Gwaine said. "I would leave him with Mordred or something but... He freaks out when alone for a long enough time. When he doesn't see someone he knows pretty well then he starts to worry, we are not exactly sure what he worries about but he has had panic attacks when he gets separated from Merlin or I."
"I've seen such cases," Arthur shook his head sadly. "You don't know why? Generally it happens to kids who've lost their parents when they're old enough to remember. It's an instinctual fear of loss."
"We are his cousins... He came to live with me a few years ago." Gwaine said. "He did lose his parents but... He was young, not that young but they weren't at home that often, they traveled a lot."
"It's still my best guess," Arthur replied. "I've seen such cases several times in my years working for the force. Anyway, I'd best get back, okay?"
"Thank you Arthur, feel free to call me if he gets upset." Gwaine said. "I'll answer my phone unless I am asleep."
"I will, but first I might try myself to calm the kid," Arthur told Gwaine. "If that's alright with you?"
"Go right ahead." Gwaine said, "I'd like to focus on Mordred at the moment."
"Got it," Arthur smiled. He hurried out to his car and sped over to the flat. He used the key Gwaine had given him and pushed the door open.
"Cuilén?" Arthur called softly. "You okay? It's Officer Pendragon."
Arthur walked in and looked around. He listened for a moment before he heard ragged sobs. He listened carefully before walking toward Cuilén's bedroom where he found the young boy curled up in the corner, sobbing and breathing heavily.
"Hey, hey Cuilén, it's alright, it's Officer Pendragon, Arthur, I'm here. You're not alone, I'm here," Arthur knelt to the boy's height, not yet approaching him as he waited for the boy to look up.
"Wh-where are G-Gwaine and M-Merlin?" Cuilén sobbed, "Wh-Where are th-they?"
"Merlin is getting help for his sore throat and Gwaine is waiting for Mordred to get treatment. Okay? They sent me to be with you, okay? Do you want a hug, Cuilén?" Arthur held his arms out.
Cuilén finally looked up and studied Arthur for a moment before launching himself into the outstretched arms of the policeman. "I w-want to see Merlin! I-Is he okay?"
"He will be, I'm going to take care of him when he gets out. You can't see him yet, but pretty soon, okay?" Arthur gently began
to run circles on Cuilén's back, softly hushing the boy's sobs.
Cuilén nodded and slowly began to relax against Arthur, still sobbing every now and then. "I'm tired, and a bit hungry." He said after a few minutes.
"Okay, want to go get some food? What do you want to eat?" Arthur asked, experimentally trying to get the slight boy to stand.
Cuilén shrugged not standing up but clinging to Arthur. "I don't know what we have. M-Merlin always gets me food."
"Here, I'll go look in the fridge, okay? Let's go Cuilén," Arthur lead the boy into the kitchen and was about to sit him at the table when Cuilén latched onto him and let out a quiet wail. "Kid?"
"Don't go..." Cuilén whimpered, "Don't leave..."
"I'm going right over to the fridge, do you want to help me look for food?" Arthur suggested gently.
Cuilén followed Arthur over to the fridge, clinging to his arm.
"Here," Arthur opened the fridge. "How about... You have some cold spaghetti, do you want that for dinner? I can warm it up."
Cuilén nodded. "Okay."
Arthur got the spaghetti boiling and then placed two dishes on the table.
"Sit," Arthur told him. "Let's eat, okay? Ready?"
Cuilén slowly sat down but didn't let go of Arthur's arm as he began to eat with his left hand.
"Hey, I'm going to ask a question you don't have to answer but... Has Gwaine or Merlin ever really talked to you about what happened to your parents?"
Cuilén shook his head, looking down at his plate. "No…" he whispered.
"Is it okay if I ask you how long you've been living with Gwaine? Sometimes talking about these things help in the long run."
"I don't know." Cuilén said. "A while."
"Do you remember what grade you were in?" Arthur asked gently.
"Um…" Cuilén thought about it. "Um… I was in… 3rd or 4th grade…"
"Okay," Arthur nodded, smiling. "So you remember. That's okay. You don't like being left alone very much, huh? It can be a little worrying, don't you think?"
Cuilén nodded, "I don't like being alone."
"Do you know why? How does it make you feel?" Arthur asked, searching Cuilén's watery blue eyes.
"I… I don't know, I don't like it though." Cuilén turned slightly away from Arthur.
"Hey, it's okay, do you not want to talk about it right now?" Arthur asked. "We could continue later? You don't want to tell me right now why you don't like it?"
"I… I just don't like it… No one is there and it scares me." Cuilén said.
"But you know Gwaine and Merlin will always come back, don't you?" Arthur asked softly. "Or are you... Is it scary thinking they might not?"
Cuilén nodded before he looked up at Arthur. "I don't like feeling like that."
"I know that is a scary feeling. Can I let you in on a secret?" Arthur smiled, gently squeezing Cuilén's hand and gathering his own courage.
Cuilén looked up at Arthur and hesitantly smiled while nodding.
"When I was little, my mom died. My dad was a police officer and he'd leave me every day to do his shift. He wouldn't come home until after dinner, and I was always scared that he wouldn't come back at all. So you know what I did? I met a good friend, and when my dad was gone I'd try to talk to him on the phone, or I'd go out and hang out with people. Having people to go hang out with, like Mordred, can help a whole lot, and I'm still friends with my old friend from when I was a kid. His name is Leon. Someday you can meet him. But remember, you don't have to be afraid. Know that there will be someone for you, you'll be okay."
Cuilén nodded and finished his food. "I'm tired." He said. "Can you read to me?"
"Of course," Arthur smiled. The kid might be in high school, but Merlin was right. He was small and rather young for his age, but in a sweet sort of way. "What would you like to hear?"
"I have to read the next chapter of Tom Sawyer." Cuilén said yawning.
"That's a good book," Arthur nodded. "How about you go to bed and I'll read to you. Where's your book?"
Arthur lead the boy into the room and picked up the book, flipping to the right page and beginning to read. When he finished, Cuilén's eyelids were drooping and he had a smile on his face.
"Goodnight, bud," Arthur whispered. "Would you like me to sit with you a little longer?"
Cuilén nodded. "Uh huh." He murmured.
"I will," Arthur promised. "Sleep well."
He watched as the boy's breaths evened out and he fell asleep, a smile on his peaceful face. Arthur hoped he'd been able to help the kid, he was sort of sweet, and then Arthur too began to fall asleep.
