Hihi! This should be wrapping up soon. Thanks for your patience and comments. And yup, I had a great holiday.
Arthur wasn't sure if it was relief or worry that filled his heart when Elyan opened the door.
"Where's Gwen?" he blurted then realized how rude he sounded. Running a hand through his hair, already ruffled into a mess by the number of times he had done the same thing as he worked out what to say to Gwen, he smiled slightly. "Hey Elyan. You look well."
Elyan didn't actually look well. Actually, he looked a little stressed.
"This is your fault," grumbled Elyan even as he stood aside to allow Arthur entry into the house.
"Um, what's my fault?" He crumpled the scrap of paper in his hand and slipped it into his pocket.
"I'm stuck here alone with Nurse Never Smile, that's what."
"Where's Gwen?"
Elyan shrugged, shutting the door behind Arthur. "She called me, demanded I come over then said she needed to get some fresh air and I had to pull my weight and look after Dad."
"Well, she's right," said Arthur as calmly as he could while his heart started to race. "Gwen has been bearing the brunt of your father's illness."
With a sigh, Elyan flopped onto the sofa, then gestured for Arthur to join him. "I know. I know. I am trying, but you know, things don't just return to normal do they?"
"Why did you leave?" It looked like his plan to hash things out with Gwen wasn't going to work out tonight. "Mind if I get something to drink?"
"Help yourself," said Elyan with a wave of his hand.
Returning with a glass of juice, Arthur settled into the sofa next to Elyan. "So."
The nurse came out of Gwen's father's room at that moment, glared at both Elyan and Arthur before shaking her head and disappearing into the kitchen. Arthur smiled.
"What's so funny?"
"It's rather nice to not be the only one here she hates," said Arthur. "Did Gwen say where she went? Or when she'll be back?"
"Nope. I arrived, she practically shoved me inside then walked off." Elyan narrowed his eyes. "I figured it had to be because of you."
"Me?"
"Well, of course. Gwen's a stoic one – only matters of the heart ever gets her in such a state."
Arthur's eyes widened. "State? What kind of state?"
But Elyan ignored his question. "The last time I saw her like this, was when Lance and her were doing their break up, don't break up dance."
"Huh."
"So what did you do? I know I've been gone for over a year but Gwen is still my sister."
Arthur churlishly felt like pointing out that Elyan probably caused Gwen more hurt than he did but thankfully, his head stopped him. "I'm not actually sure. That's why I came by."
"Right," said Elyan in a tone suggested he didn't believe Arthur at all. "Are you going to wait for her?"
He thought of the contract drafts he had to look over, and the new project his father wanted him to oversee as reward for his good work. Then he nodded. "Yeah. Let me just get my laptop from the car."
Within minutes, Arthur had settled himself at the kitchen table with his files and laptop. Slowly, he arranged everything on the table so that he could work. Then, pulling up his browser, Arthur paused for a while before typing in his parents' names.
The cool night air helped Gwen get her thoughts in order. At the very least, she felt calmer, less emotional and less overwhelmed. Elyan immediately coming over to keep an eye on Dad also helped without question. Since taking leave from her job, Gwen had spent almost 24/7 at home with her father and it was clear that she needed more breaks.
Her heart lurched painfully when she noticed Arthur's car in the driveway.
"Hello?"
Someone moved on the sofa, stretching then sitting up. "Hey sis. You're back. Nurse whatshername just left." He tilted his head towards the kitchen. "Your boyfriend is back there."
"He's not my boyfriend," she said immediately, regretting it when she looked up and saw Arthur standing in the doorway. Shadows on his face stopped her from reading his expression but tension radiated from his posture. Suddenly, the exhaustion and the stress that she thought she had put behind her during her walk swamped her.
"I'm going to go now. Percy is probably worried." Elyan muttered as he picked up his jacket.
"You should make it a habit to keep in touch with people," snapped Gwen. "Sorry. Sorry."
Elyan raised a hand. "It's good Gwen. Dad seems alright tonight. I'll come by tomorrow. See you, Arthur." With a quick nod, Elyan slipped out of the open door and disappeared into the darkness.
"Hey," Arthur took a step forward, stopping when Gwen took a corresponding step back. "Had a good break?"
Gwen nodded, her throat suddenly dry and unable to work.
"Um," Arthur fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to another. "I'm sorry I came over without asking but I was hoping we could talk." When she didn't reply, he shoved his hands in his pocket. "Uh, it's late anyway and I guess -"
Gwen closed her eyes. "No, you're right. We should talk."
"Ok," said Arthur but continued to stand awkwardly in the doorway.
"In the kitchen? I could do with a hot drink."
Arthur nodded, let her pass before following her back into the kitchen. As she made her tea, Arthur quietly packed up his things. As quiet as he was, Gwen was keenly aware of his presence in the confines of the small kitchen.
Finally, she sat down on a chair opposite Arthur, wrapping her hands around her mug.
"Dr Madeline tells me your father has decided against the treatment," Arthur said. The concern in his eyes was her undoing and she felt her own eyes tear up. He reached out a hand, then took it back, as if unsure if he could touch her.
Nodding, she swallowed the ball of tears in her throat. "He says the chance of recovery is too slim. He doesn't want to spend his last days in the hospital."
His hand touched hers gently and she turned her palm outward. Reading her mind, Arthur slid his warm palm over hers. The touch was light but it's effect on her was far from light.
"And how do you feel?"
"Angry," confessed Gwen, surprising herself. It was a thought she hadn't allowed to surface until now. "I'm angry he doesn't want to fight. That he's given up."
Arthur's hand slipped from hers, and Gwen looked up, worried that her words had upset him, made him realise she wasn't who he thought she was. The sound of his chair dragging against the linoleum floor scraped against her heart as he stood. With quick steps, he made his way to her, knelt down and dragged her into a hug. Instinctively, she buried her face into his neck, soaking in his warmth.
It was a while later when they untangled themselves. Arthur flashed her a wry smile, standing and rubbing his knees. Amusement and fondness curled in her stomach and she touched his face gently, standing up as well.
"Arthur, about us -"
A finger on her lip stopped her from speaking.
"You're right," Arthur said. "This is a difficult time for you - negotiating a new relationship isn't the easiest thing." The wry smile crossed his face again. "Also, I'm not the greatest at relationships. Maybe we should -"
"Put things on hold?"
Arthur's hand dropped and he nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor.
He was supposed to demand they make up, that the break up was a mistake, not stand in her kitchen and tell her it was the best thing. Anger at her father merged with her anger at Arthur and she snapped at him. "Why did you not bring me to the Whitetown dinner?"
"What?"
His complete shock at her accusation dampened her anger. Clearly the decision not to bring her to the Whitetown dinner was not important to him. Suddenly tired, Gwen shook her head. "Nothing. It's not important."
"The Whitetown dinner? That boring charity event?" Confusion was written all over Arthur's face. "I didn't think you wanted to come."
"Why not?" Gwen demanded, the feelings of jealousy and reject returning.
"Because your father is so sick?" Arthur frowned. "Why would you -"
"Why didn't you just ask me instead of making decisions for me?" Gwen snipped.
She wasn't sure what response she was expected but his sincere apology surprised her. "You're right. I should have and not presumed. I am sorry."
"Ok," she said, whatever residual anger and hurt seeping out of her.
"Ok," repeated Arthur.
They stood in the kitchen, staring at each other. Gwen drank him in, wondering if he was doing the same for her. Her life was such a mess - her father didn't want to live, her brother suddenly living within an hour of her, her ex-boyfriend standing in her kitchen looking as if he wanted to devour her.
"I shouldn't -"
"I think that we -"
They stopped, slight laughs escaping them. "You go first," she finally said.
"Let's be friends."
She bit her lip. That certainly wasn't what she had been expecting. "We're not friends?"
"I think we are. I mean, Vivian and I weren't exactly friends after we broke up," Arthur said. "But we can be friends, right?"
With a sinking heart, Gwen nodded.
"Good. As a friend, can I come by this weekend then? I could bring lunch."
She wanted to say no, she wanted to tell him that she didn't want to be friends, she wanted him to love her the way she thought she loved him, but she nodded again.
"Great. I'll come by about noon then."
"Yeah."
"It's late. I should go and you need your rest." For a moment, it looked as if Arthur was going to kiss her, but then he simply turned around, grabbed his files and laptop and walked out of the kitchen. She followed him into the living room where he was shrugging on his jacket.
I love you, she wanted to say. Don't go. Instead, she said, "see you on Saturday."
"See you."
She was still staring at her closed front door as she heard Arthur's engine start.
"Aren't you two doing this all wrong?" Merlin asked around bites of his sandwich. He was perched on Arthur's office couch and spilling lettuce and breadcrumbs all over it. "First she was your fake girlfriend, then your real girlfriend and now, you're just friends? What's next? Fake friends? Fake enemies? Real enemies?"
Arthur lobbed a pen at Merlin, swearing when it fell uselessly to the carpet. "I don't want to pressure her."
"You do still want to be with her, right?"
"Are you my therapist?"
Merlin stuffed the last bit of bread into his mouth, then wiped his hands on his trousers. "No. Sturridge signed the final document, by the way."
"Great," said Arthur. "You don't know anything about my mother, do you?"
"She was beautiful."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows that. Her portraits are everywhere. I mean, do you know about her and my father?"
Merlin hopped off the couch. "Well, the official story is that they were madly in love, right?"
"Official story? What's the unofficial one?"
"Hmm. There were rumours that in the last months of her life, your dad and mother weren't getting along very well. They are just rumours, though. Why the sudden curiosity?"
Arthur twirled his pen. "Nothing. Just a comment I heard recently."
"Right. Unlike you, I have a ton of important work to do." At the door, Merlin stopped. "You and Gwen need to get your acts together. Really. She's miserable without you."
"She's miserable because her father is dying," snapped Arthur but Merlin was gone. With a sigh, he opened up the report he had been reading before being rudely interrupted by Merlin. The words swam in front of him, his mind more concerned about his parents and Gwen. He should talk to Catherine, his father's office manager. She'd been around when his mother was still alive. Only, Catherine was unflinchingly loyal to his father. Maybe he should just speak to his father directly.
His mind was still musing over the options when his phone rang. A glance down at the screen told him it was Gwen.
He grinned. "Hello."
"Hey. I hope I'm not disturbing."
"Of course not. What can I do for you?"
There was a slight pause before Gwen continued. "Well, I was wondering if you would like to go on a picnic on Saturday and if that's alright with you, could we take your car?"
"My car?"
"It will be a bit of a squeeze but I thought -"
Arthur laughed. "What is this about, really?"
He heard her sigh and he could feel it in his toes. "My father happened to see your car yesterday. He likes it very much."
"Huh. So you want to take him out in it?"
"Mmmm."
"I don't see why that would be a problem."
"Thank you!"
"That's what friends are for," said Arthur. "I'll see you Saturday."
It was with a smile and a lighter heart that he hung up. He looked at his office phone, picked up the hand set, then set it down again.
Then he picked it up again and keyed in Catherine's extension.
