Disclaimer I own nothing but the plot. Please don't sue me I'm poor.

"Shhh they'll wake up" *Giggle* "Where's the camera?" *Snicker*"Hurry up" *Click*

Athelstan could hear people moving and talking around him thinking it was a dream he snuggled further in the warmth of his quilt.

*Snicker*

Athelstan heard laughter again and he realised he wasn't in his bed. His eyes fluttered open and he came face to face with Ragnar's chest. Memories from yesterday flooded back the party, the beach but he didn't remember falling asleep.

"Athelstan" a woman's voice said

He looked up and saw Lagertha, Leif, Erik, Torstein, Rollo, Floki, Gyda, Bjorn and Arne looking at him, trying to hold back laughter. Athelstan blushed furiously and tried to pull away from Ragnar but his grip on him was tight.

"He's a hugger. He won't let go" Lagertha told him

Athelstan tried to shake him awake but failed.

"He's also a deep sleeper" she added

"Ragnar wake up" Athelstan said while he was still shaking him and again it failed.

Lagertha and the others laughed quietly at Athelstan's situation, but after seeing his distress Lagertha decided to help him. She gave Ragnar a small kick and said "Wake up you lazy lump"

Ragnar gave a quick snort and woke up. Ragnar looked down and saw he was holding onto Athelstan "Morning" he smiled

"M-Morning. Can you let go now?" he asked

"Nope" Ragnar teased and pulled him closer

"R-Ragnar, w-wait a minute"

"I think you've embarrassed him enough Ragnar, get up" Lagertha told him

Ragnar groaned and reluctantly let go of Athelstan.

Athelstan stood up and stretched out his tired muscles also dusting the sand off his body and hair.

"So did you sleep well brother? Did you have any sweet dreams?" Rollo laughed

Ragnar knew his brother meant erotic dreams. He just shook his head and got up. Everyone began to pack up their belongings and bin their rubbish. When they were done Ragnar gave Athelstan a lift home.

"I'm really glad you came with us Athelstan. Did you have fun?" Ragnar asked

"Yes I did" Athelstan replied "I can't remember the last time I had so much fun" he didn't mean to say that it just slipped out all of a sudden. He never saw Ragnar look at him sadly through the mirror.

Eventually they reached Athelstan's home "Do you mind if I use your toilet?" Ragnar asked

"I don't mind you can use it"

Athelstan opened his front door and felt glad to be home. He needed to check on his pets so he told Ragnar the toilet was up stairs to the left.

Ragnar thanked him and went upstairs. He used the toilet, washed his hands and checked his face in the mirror. As he left the bathroom he noticed all the shut doors. He looked and listened down the stairs for any sign of Athelstan, when there was none he decided to open one of them.

Now Ragnar had always been a very curious person and he had been called nosy often but he couldn't help himself, Athelstan was such a mystery to him. He tip toed carefully towards one of the doors and wrapped his hand around the handle.

He could hear the blood pounding in his ears as he kept listening out for Athelstan. He turned the handle and opened the door carefully. When the door was open a small crack the smell of dust hit his nose. He opened the door enough for him to take a peek inside the room.

The first thing he saw was two small twin beds. The room was full of furniture, clothing and toys. On closer inspection Ragnar knew this was a girls bedroom. But there was something wrong with it, he noticed that there was a very thick blanket of dust on everything. Every piece of furniture, the beds, the windows, the clothes and the toys were covered. It was like nothing had been moved or touched in years.

Ragnar felt a uneasy chill run up his spine and decided to stop looking. He shut the door just as carefully as he had opened it. He looked at the other doors and the urge to look overwhelmed him.

He picked another door at random and opened it. Again the smell of dust hit his nose as he looked inside. Inside there was a single small bed, bedroom furniture, clothing and toys. This time however it looked more like a boys room. It was the same as the other room. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and nothing seemed to have been moved. It was very eerie.

This time Ragnar was officially freaked out. He shut the door and looked at the others. He wondered if all the rooms were like this and why. He realised enough was enough and Athelstan was probably going to come after him soon. He went back down the stairs and found Athelstan in the living room.

"You alright?" Athelstan asked

"Yeah. I was just trying to get the sand out of my hair" he lied

"You still have sand in your hair"

Ragnar snorted "Not surprised, it sticks everywhere"

"Ragnar I wanted to thank you for, well, everything. I have fun and it was nice to meet so many new people" Athelstan said shyly

Ragnar hugged Athelstan without hesitation, he wanted to kiss him but held back "Your welcome Athelstan"

"I also want to apologise" Athelstan continued

"For what?" Ragnar asked confused

"For the things I said before about staying away from me and not wanting to have anything to do with you"

"It's in the past, it doesn't matter anymore. You know any time you want to hang out with us you can. You know where we live and I can give you are phone numbers"

"Yeah sure. I'll give you mine"

After exchanging phone numbers they said good bye one more time and Ragnar left. Ragnar drove away from Athelstan's house and started the journey back home. If only he had looked behind him he would have seen a jet black car following him.

When they arrived home Ragnar told his kids to put away their stuff while he spoke with Lagertha. He took Lagertha into their bed room and told her about the strange rooms in Athelstan's house.

Her first reaction was to cuff him around the head for being nosey. Her second reaction was one of great concern.

"It was really creepy Lagertha. It was like something you would see from a horror film" he explained

"A time capsule" Lagertha murmured

"A what?"

"You said it looked like nothing had been moved in years. Maybe it's like a time capsule. You remember what we read about his family on the internet"

"Yes" how could he forget

"Well what if it's a time capsule of his families last moments in the house" she said

Ragnar furrowed his brow and said "But that was twelve years ago"

"He is still grieving"

"It's not just the rooms that are stuck in the past. We have to help him" Ragnar said with determination

"If he wants our help then we shall give it to him. But for now maybe we should just try and be friends"

Ragnar nodded his head in agreement. They shouldn't move to fast with him, he was only just beginning to trust them. After they finished talking Ragnar wondered what would be the best to help his new friend.