AN: well... this is it... the last chapter... of this story...BUT FEAR NOT! THERE IS A SEQUEL! It will be called Kid off the Streets!
"Tell me why you don't want to go back, what happened to you there?" Gwaine asked.
"W-well, I dunno, I didn't like it there." Mordred said.
"Why?" Gwaine pushed. "What happened there?"
"I don't want to talk about it..." Mordred said, closing his eyes against the memories. "It... It hurt!"
"Mordred, you can trust me. Please, tell me what they did to you. Tell me why it hurt, what hurt. Please, Dre."
"Th-they... I remember, when I first started there they were nice but once I turned 12 then it was my job to watch everyone else, the little ones never got punished, it was a-always my fault..." Mordred had tears running down his cheeks as he related the story.
"What would they do to you?" Gwaine asked softly. "Please explain."
"They would... Would hit me..." Mordred said slowly. "At first it was just a slap or two but then it went from their hands to whatever they had on them... Or the cane... I hated the cane, it hurt the worse..." Mordred looked at Gwaine with tears running down his cheeks. "They never did it to anyone else and if I screamed and cried they would hit me till I stopped."
Mordred cut off as he began to choke on his sobs.
"Aw, kid I... I'm so sorry..." Gwaine shook his head, pulled Mordred into a hug. "I'm so, so sorry. Just cry, it's okay, no one's here to think the worst. I'm sorry kid, it'll never be like that again."
"It will, when you send me back!" Mordred cried, leaning into Gwaine and crying. "That's why you were asking wasn't it?"
"No, you aren't going to go back." Gwaine said. "If you want to stay here permanently we need papers signed and all that."
"What?" Mordred pulled away. "What do you mean?"
"I think I might adopt you, kid, how's that sound?" Gwaine grinned widely.
"Do... Do you mean it?" Mordred asked, staring at Gwaine in shock.
"I wouldn't joke about a thing like that," Gwaine smiled. "Do you like the idea?"
Mordred nodded, his eyes wide. "Yeah, I... I want to stay here."
"Good, we'll call them in the morning. What's the name, kid?"
"Inglewood Children's Home." Mordred said.
"Okay, I'll call them tomorrow. Goodnight... Son," Gwaine beamed down at the boy.
"Night dad." Mordred sail with a smile on his face as he fell asleep.
MMM
Merlin woke up to the sound of happy laughter in the other room and he headed out there to find Cuilén, Gwaine, and Mordred playing a board game, Gwaine looking prouder than he had in many years.
"What's got you so excited?" Merlin smiled warmly at the three.
"Mordred," Gwaine said. "Will officially be part of the family as soon as I sign the papers."
"You mean...?" Merlin's eyes shone. "You've done it? Mordred... Adopted?"
"Soon will be." Gwaine said.
"That... That's wonderful!" Merlin found himself saying, and he meant it, genuinely. "Welcome to the family, Mordred."
Mordred smiled at Merlin. "Thanks." He said. "You aren't upset?"
"Well... It does seem a bit rushed but... No, I'm not upset. I'm happy to welcome you in. You'll be the fourth brother we've been thinking of."
"And guess what else?" Cuilén pipped up. "Gwaine didn't tell us but... He's been eyeing a small shop that's for sale near here for some time and guess what? He thinks he's going to open it as a deli with Mordred! He's been saving up money from his other job for it for months!"
"That's good!" Merlin looked at Gwaine. "You didn't tell me..."
"I had to wait and see if anyone else would buy it. The man who owns the space, though, said I can have it though, and I finally have enough to get started," Gwaine smiled at his cousin. "I've been picking up business techniques from the pub, and Mordred has a bit of cooking knowledge from his orphanage, plus I've got practice with finger food from the pub."
"That's so amazing." Merlin smiled brightly. "I think we should watch a movie later... Just to celebrate."
"Gwaine!" Cuilén asked. "Can we get pizza? Please? Mordred hasn't had it is a looong time. Please?"
"Sure," Gwaine nodded. "There's a place near here. We can go to Jo's, okay?" Gwaine smiled broadly. "Come on buddy, Merls, son."
Merlin and Cuilén whooped and rushed, in Cuilén's case, to get their coats. Mordred smiled at Gwaine before holding his coat up and simply saying. "Shotgun!" In a calm voice.
Gwaine grinned and glanced out the door to see what the car had been fixed and returned by the friend Gwaine had called last night. He threw an arm around Mordred's shoulder and the two went to wait for their fellow companions.
"You're a part of the family," Gwaine declared. "How do you like that?"
"I like that very much," Mordred admitted as Merlin and Cuilén entered the car, and then the four went off to have the first day of many as a new, whole family.
AN: I love eveyone who reviewed! Please give this chapter some love and hopefully the next story.
