Day 1

Arthur was in hell. Not in purgatory. Hell.

After he checked the kitchen to see Alfred wasn't there, he went back to bed. He laid face first in the pillow. He turned his head to the side, looking at Lilly. She looked confused, confused as a dog can be. He adjusted to his side, he pulled Lilly into his chest and stroked her head. He had neither the patience nor the will to go to work that day.

His phone rang at 10:15. He lazily looked to it and picked it up.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Arthur? Where are you?" the voice said, it was the principal of the school.

"At home." Arthur said.

"Why? Don't tell me you're sick." He said.

"No, just it's kind of hard to talk about." Arthur said.

"Trouble on the home front?" The principal asked.

"Yeah. My husband and I had a really big fight last night. He left and hasn't returned home yet." Arthur explained.

"Listen, I know how you feel; I've been through my fair share of divorces-"

"DIVORCE?! Wh-who said anything about divorce?! I just said he left." Arthur started hyperventilating.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to say divorce." The man corrected, Arthur stayed on the other line still freaking out.

"We could still patch things up if he came home or I call him-" Arthur realized something.

"Okay, okay! You can return when you fell is necessary." The principal said. Arthur hung up.

How could he be so stupid? He hadn't even tried calling him. If he could just explain to Alfred, he could apologize. He went to his contacts to Alfred's name and tried calling him.

The ring… ring… ring… ring… ring, "Hey, you reached Alf-" Arthur hung up. He wanted to talk to his husband, not his answering machine. He must've tried at least ten more time to hear the same message until he decided to call other people.

"Hello, Mary? I'm fine, thank you for asking. Uhm, I called to ask you if Alfred had called you yet?" Arthur asked.

"I'm sorry, honey. He hasn't called me since Valentine's morning." Mary said.

"Sorry, Artie, haven't heard from Al in a while." Bridgette said.

"Can't say that I have, that boy never calls me. He's too busy lovin' on you." Calli said.

"Alfred hasn't called me or Gil in a long time." Matthew said.

"Sorry, darling, we haven't heard from him." Arthur's mother said.

Arthur hung up on the very last call, he rubbed his eyes and held his hands over his mouth. He neglected to tell any of their friends or family about Alfred's walking out. He didn't want it to get serious where people would think he's missing and call the police and make a big deal of this. He knew Alfred was going to return, or at least he hoped he would.

He scrolled through his contacts once more looking for someone, anyone else who they both knew who might know where he is. 'Rita'… the nurse! She had to know where Alfred was. He called her with heavy anticipation.

"St. Peter's Children's Hospital, this is Rita speaking, how may I help you?" She said professionally and stiff.

"Rita, thank god you answered." Arthur said.

"Arthur, is that you? How are you?" her voice sounded more relaxed.

"Not too good, is Al there?" Please say yes, please.

The line was silent for a moment, "One moment." She said. Arthur's breath hitched. It seemed like ages until she started speaking again, "I'm sorry, Arthur, he's not available at the moment."

Arthur cursed obscenities in his head and bit his lip, "Oh okay, sorry to bother you then."

"Arthur, wait-" Arthur had hung up.

Rage, sorrow, and raw emotions built up inside of Arthur. "GOD DAMMIT!" he cursed. He sprinted out of bed, down the hallway and got a meal trashcan. He slammed the door to his study wide open. He stood in the door frame panting, staring in rage at his desk piled with papers. He slammed down the trash can on one end of the desk. With multiple swoops of his arms, every last paper was thrown in the metal bin. Arthur grabbed from the garage, some gasoline. He poured nearly the entire medium can into the bin and clicked a lighter a few times. When the flame properly lit he threw his lighter into the trash and burned all of the paper that ruined his marriage. "Shrivel up and burn, little fuckers!" Arthur yelled with his fists closed and eyes shut tight. The glow from the fire radiated on his face.

Day 2

Arthur sat on the window sill, watching the neighborhood bustle. Saturdays were meant to be spent with your family. I can't leave now, what if he comes back and thinks I left him?

A knock came at the door. Arthur perked up at the sound, couldn't have been Alfred, he would've knocked. Arthur went to open the door slowly. As soon as he opened the door, looking miserable mind you, he wished he hadn't.

"Hello?" he said.

"Ah, Arthur!" Francis overdramatically said, and allowed himself into the house. He brought Arthur into a wine-smelling hug.

"What're you doing here, Francis? How do you even know where my house is?" Arthur pushed him off.

"Richard told me about you and your husband's 'problem'." He answered.

"There is no problem, he's coming back any second now, and he's not going to be too happy seeing you here." Arthur warned.

"Denial, I've seen it many times before."

"Wha-"

"That's why I've come to you in your time of despair, with a bottle of wine," he brought a bottle of wine from behind his back, "to drink your sorrows away."

Remember, when Francis brings a bottle of wine to your house, nothing good is going to happen.

"Thank you, but no thank you. I don't drink." Arthur tried refusing.

"What man doesn't drink?" Francis asked.

A man that skypes his future husband to jack off in front of him on his 21st birthday, that's who. Arthur thought.

Somehow, Arthur learned that Francis is a very good at persuading people. It was almost 6 o'clock at night and they were still drinking.

"Y'know, he wasn't even there for 4," he held up four fingers, "of my birthdays?" Arthur said through his drunken haze.

"Weren't you in England for 4 years? And born there?" Francis, also drunk but could handle his alcohol much better, asked.

"Yeah, but still. Hey, hey, hey don't judge me. My own husband hasn't been back in 2 days, and I'm freaking out." Arthur took another drink and placed a hand on the top of his head.

"You seem pretty calm." The French man said.

"Ugh, yesterday I burned everything in my study." Arthur looked off. His eyes opened wide as if he forgotten something. "Oh no."

"What?" Francis asked.

Arthur sped back to his study with heavy worry. He looked through the ashes. "C'mon, it's got to be in here." Arthur said.

"What?" Francis came in after him.

Arthur checked in his desk drawers. He stuffed papers madly until he found a piece of notebook paper. He picked it up and quickly held it to his chest. He sighed a sigh of relief. He looked to the paper, thankful he didn't incinerate it along with the other paper. It was their 'contract' that Alfred made before they officially got married. It was the one that said their names with hearts all around them.

"What is this?" Francis took the paper from Arthur's hands and examined it.

Arthur took it right back, "It's a legal document saying Alfred can never leave me and I can never leave him." The Brit hugged it to his chest one more time before kissing it.

"It looks like a piece of notebook paper." Francis pointed out.

"It is a piece of notebook paper. But it means so much to me." Arthur looked at the paper. "I'm sorry, Francis, but we're going to have to end this 'drinking party' right now." Arthur started shoving the French man out the door.

Day 3

The third day hit Arthur the hardest. Realization. He realized it was just a piece of paper, there was no writing but their names. Even if it had their signatures on it and it was a legal document, without any clauses it was just a piece of paper with their names on it.

Alfred had really left him. Gone. Arthur sat on his bed for the third day in a row. Back against the head board, knees to his chest, thinking of one thing. The love of his life was gone and was never coming back. Majority of his life, gone. Even worse, his best friend was gone. He cried into his knees, "Al… please come home. I don't care what went wrong, just come home so we can fix it. I'm going crazy without you."

He looked to his phone. Did he dare call Alfred one more time? Could he even handle the sound of another pre-recorded voice message? Oh well, here goes nothing.

Arthur squeezed the phone to his ear, hearing the monotone ringing. He shut his eyes tight as it got to the fifth ring. He had half a mind to hang up right then.

"Hello?" the phone said. Arthur opened his eyes wide, was it him? It sounded like Alfred, even though his voice was raspy and tired.

"A-Al?!" Arthur said.

"Yeah, what is it, Artie?" he sounded rushed.

"Al! Jesus, I'm so chuffed to bits that you answered! Why haven't you called-"

"Artie-"

"Who cares, right? When are you coming home? Where-"

"Arthur!" Alfred quietly yelled. Arthur was silent. "I don't know when I'm coming home, and I'm-" the line was silent for a second.

"Al?"

"Arthur, I'm sorry I have to go right now." Alfred said.

"Al-?" Arthur tried calling, but Alfred had already hung up. The Brit lingered the phone to his ear. "Arthur?" He called him Arthur. For years he had been 'Artie', not Arthur. Sometimes, he was worried that Alfred had even remembered his name was Arthur. Apparently, he did remember. His own name stabbed him in the heart.

He lay down to sleep that night, realizing just how big the bed was. Far too big for one person. He felt around to make the bed seem fuller, but it wasn't enough. He maneuvered some pillows to even slightly resemble Alfred there. It wasn't the same at all.

Day 4

It was Monday now, and Arthur still had no will to go to work. The whole day, he sat on the couch, under a blanket with Lilly, watching their wedding video and crying. Late into the night had he fallen asleep.

Day 5

Arthur realized the house was a mess. Alfred wasn't coming home. He'd best clean the house. It would at least get his mind off of the whole mess. Even Lilly was helping him out, she'd close the door for the washing machine and dryer. He smiled at her when she looked up to him for praise, and then he would scratch her head.

Almost 10:00, Arthur decided the house was clean enough and he was satisfied with his work. Clapping his hands he said, "Well, Lilly, I think we both deserve some sleep, don't you think so?" he asked her. She barked and wagged her tail in agreement so they both headed towards the bedroom.

It was about 3:30 in the morning when Lilly picked her head up. Her small bark woke up Arthur. He turned over and disregarded they little puppy.

But she barked again, "Lilly, what is it?" he rubbed his eyes. She scrambled over Arthur and hopped off the bed. Lilly stood by the door, jumping and scratching to get out of the room Arthur shuffled out of his bed to let her out. At the time, his thought she only needed to use the bathroom.

Lilly sped out of the room and into the living room. Arthur hazily followed after her. She found a window at her height and started barking at it.

"Lilly, if you have to go, go through the doggy door." Arthur yawned. Lilly persisted at yapping to the window. "What is it?" he said from across the living room.

All of a sudden, Arthur saw the door open. The door was already opening, he didn't have time to get a bat to fight off the intruder. To his relief, it was a blond he knew very well.

"Al?" He hopefully cried to him. He was carrying something that he was struggling to keep up with the weight and his usual medical bag. Arthur couldn't exactly see what the other thing that was so heavy to carry because he ran to the man to hug him.

He didn't care if it was over between them, he kissed the hell out of the American he missed so much. Arthur wrapped his arms around his neck. His fingers slid down Alfred's face. After Alfred set down the heavy things, he brought Arthur closer deeper into the kiss. He slid his tongue into Arthur's mouth, which the Brit gladly allowed. Arthur slipped his hand under Alfred's shirt, but he was stopped.

"Mm, Artie… sorry I can't, I'm way too tired for any of that." Alfred said.

Arthur sadly laughed, "Oh okay, I'm just glad your home. You are staying home, right?" He hugged Alfred.

"Yeah, duh." Alfred said. "Uh, Artie… I have to tell you something." He said cautiously.

For the first time, Arthur got to see what Alfred carried in with him. A carrier for… something. It took his breath away that he knew what it was. "Al, what is that?"

Alfred looked down to where Arthur was looking. He picked up the carrier and set it on the couch. He didn't look to Arthur.

"It's a baby."

So how's that for a last chapter, huh? I guess you can tell there will be another story and obviously what it's going to be called. I hope you enjoyed the story, it was fun to write. Leave a review f you liked it. I will love you for it. If you favorite, reviewed, and/or followed the story I appreciate ALL of it thank you so much!