The trip ended and they pile back to the house. Al was twitching a bit more when they came in, a frown on his face.

His discomfort, however slight, was enough to wake Iain. He more sensed the blonde's distress than was actually woken by it. He just petted him gently, muttering softly. "You okay kid...?"

Al whines softly mumbling about his brother.

"I know bud... He's alright though, swimming and catching fish in the ice."

Al seemed to lean into his hand craving the touch. Iain was content to stroke his little wings. He settled back down.

Iain couldn't help feeling sorry for him though... It would easily be next summer before Matt could even think about coming home again.

They haven't been this out of contact since they were new colonies.. Technology and learning to write before that had been a lifesaver..

But now they were alone again... Alfred didn't have Matt and as much as Matt didn't have Alfred, he still had the cubs. Al was likely to cling for at least a week when he came back..

Iain chuckled softly when he thought about it. He'd never admit it, but he often found how close the twins were quite sweet.

Francis comes in checking on them. Iain smiled tiredly at him. He got a weary smile back as Francis sat.

"Something tells me you didn't have a good day," Iain was surprised that his voice rasped. He must not be drinking enough.

"I assume you heard the argument earlier? Molly left, Arthur is brooding in guilt, and Ro is angry that she got picked up an hour late.."

"I heard the arguments earlier. Why was Ro late being picked up?"

"Arthur was stewing so much we lost track of time."

"How many of us are there in this house?" Iain sighed. "I'll just give her bus fare again."

Francis leans back in his seat stretching.

"Did anyone remember to start dinner?" Iain asked with an inferred tone of irritation. If no one could keep track of a houseful, he would get out of bed, healed or not.

"Ivan had the thought to order in, it should be here soon."

"Please tell me he considered Ro..." Was the Russian aware if her diet? He wasn't sure.

"Spinach alfredo pizza."

He just sighed in relief. Francis rubs Iain's shoulder.

"Help me downstairs?"

He offered his arm, hefting him up. Al sat up sleepily as he was moved.

Iain just held him gently, making sure not to drop him. He woke up more as they walked, yawning softly. They headed down, meeting back up with Ivan and Arthur. Ivan smiles as they come in. Iain shot him a tired smirk as Francis eased him I to a chair.

Al looked around. "Where's Ro?"

"Stormed off out with Ashe the minute we got in..." Arthur muttered.

Al frowns.

"I told her to steer clear of the woods, but I don't know if she listened..."

Al jumped up heading for the door. Iain moved to follow him. Al shifted heading out barefoot and all, calling out.

It was already growing dark, a curse on the winter months. Ro and Ashe weren't in sight. He checked around the house quickly.

As he rounded the front of the house, she came jogging down the lane, pup running at her heels happily. Al sighs hugging her.

She was a little surprised by the embrace. "Um... Hello?"

"Hi.."

"Can you let now, please?" she asked uncomfortably. "I need a shower..."

"Sorry.."

She gave him an awkward smile. "Sorry... It's been a weird day..."

He smiles slightly back. She turned to go back down Iain's road and nearly got hit by the car delivering their pizza.

"Hey!" Ashe barked angrily as Ro picked herself back up from where she'd fallen back in her haste. Al glared at the guy as he stepped out.

"I'm so sorry," the driver came over to see if they were okay. "Are you alright? I didn't hit you, did I?"

Al seemed a bit touchy still as Francis walks out to them. Ro just got back on her feet and ran inside, leaving the driver apologizing to thin air. Francis had to calm both of the men down, finally getting inside food in hand. At least the food was still hot.

Al sat at the table still rather put off, causing Ivan to hug him. Iain frowned softly at them for a moment before getting up from his seat. Francis glanced up to him.

"Need a piss," he muttered, heading to the stairs. He limped slightly, but at least walking wasn't opening his side again. The rest of them just started eating.

By the time Iain came back, his food was cold. Al wasn't angry anymore at least, just quiet. Ro hadn't even come down. She must be in a foul mood because Ashe his under the table, not even trying for treats.

Al went up knocking softly. She didn't answer, but the light was spilling out from beneath the door. She was in there. Al sighs going downstairs again and sitting out in the back yard.

The night was creeping in, a chill setting in the air. Something was sniffing around the edge of the treeline at the end of Iain's yard. He watched it curiously, if just to distract himself. It looked like a rabbit, happily grazing on the little flowers that still fought the winter's chill.

Al didn't care about the cold at the moment, laying back and tracing the stars with his eyes. That was one of the biggest perks of Iain living so far to the north. Light pollution here was practically none, so the stars were always visible on clear nights. Iain couldn't stand feeling trapped by modern conventions. He hated cities.

He sighs, Matt was gone, Ro was happy again but was also being distant again, Molly was facing who knows what hell.. Was it so much to ask for that his family just be happy and safe and together? Being stuck three inches tall seemed so trivial right now..

They never had peace for long here... His height wasn't really an issue.

Cold wind breezed over him, carrying with it the sense of home but also foreboding.

A strange smell was coming from the woods, musky and damp, but a humid sort of damp that one would usually associate with summer and the thick air before a bad storm. He frowns sitting up and glancing over. Nothing looked out of place, but all of it felt... Wrong?

Al frowns hugging himself in discomfort. Maybe it was best just to stay inside tonight...

Al walks closer to the house leaning against the wall. The building projected warmth and safety, a castle against whatever was lurking out there...

He wasn't ready to head inside just yet, even with the ill feeling. It was just too tense in there.

"Ugly bastards," Iain muttered leaning out of a window across the porch as he lit up a cigarette. He rarely smoked now, mainly because Francis had argued it taught Ro habits she shouldn't be picking up and made his house smell. "They're reeking up my woodlands."

Al looked up at him.

"I know," he sighed. "I should be resting, it's a filthy habit, blah blah. I think I've earned myself one."

"What's out there..?"

"The goblin that bit me and his tribe. They're small, but breeding. I'm going to start moving all the fae in the forest into my house for a while until I can kick the bastards out. As soon as I've healed, anyway."

It was going to get crowded then.. Maybe Al should just head home for a while, take Ivan with him.. It'd be two less people to worry about..

"Don't worry about them. They live in the walls an up in the loft. We actually have at least three families that live here constantly, I don't know if anyone else moved in lately?"

"How do you get rid of goblins?"

"Kill them," he shrugged, taking along draw from his cigarette then letting the smoke drift idly from his lips. "Decapitation is the surest method."

Not all myths were friendly.. Al knew that too well.. Considering the damage they'd done to Iain's body, these weren't the sort of creatures you invited in...

Again the cold wind from home washed over him, making him shiver.

"Don't stay out too long. You'll end up making yourself sick."

Al couldn't stay out here much longer anyway, his bird blood to close to the surface at the moment.

Iain finished smoking and shut the window, silently hoping he wouldn't have a moody Frenchman ready to lecture him for it. Al took a moment longer before following.

Arthur had set up in the kitchen, tapping away at his laptop. Al sat next to him needing some company.

Silence ruled for a moment t before Arthur looked up and removed his glasses. "Everything okay...?"

"Fine, whatcha doing?"

"Covering Iain's work for him, since he's got enough to be thinking about already."

"Hm." Al should check his own really.

"You sure you're alright...?

"Do you think Ro's mad at me..?"

"Why would you think that?" Arthur asked gently.

"She hasn't come down since nearly getting run over..."

"Well, call me crazy, but nearly being run over sounds like a good reason to hide away," he frowned softly. "I think she's upset that we made her wait for an hour after school today. We all forgot about her..."

"I was asleep.." Using his magic constantly was wearing on his energy..

"I know," he soothed. "I meant myself and Francis. We agreed to step up and take charge and we're not doing the best job of it..."

Al sighs.

"Why not go and talk to her, if you're worried she might be mad at you. If she is, at least she's likely to yell and tell you why she's upset," Arthur tried to joke lightly.

"I tried to go in earlier but she wouldn't answer.."

"We had the same issue trying to get her down to eat something..."

Al leans on his hand.

Arthur rubbed his back. "She'll be okay."

The house eventually slunk off to bed.

Today was a bad day… Al did his damn hardest to stay social, productive and happy every day he had, but there we're still days where he felt alone unneeded and depressed. Especially after his depression from the great wars these days hit him hard.. Al clung to Ivan keeping him in bed for as long as he could before the Russian needed to leave for food and errands. After that he spent the day burying himself in work when all he wanted to do is sit on the desk in his room looking out the window while wrapped up in Mana's furry ear.

Ro was still distant. She ran up to her room the moment she came home and locked herself away. She even refused to let Ashe out and ignored his attempts to sneak in with her.

It just made him feel worse.. He hadn't even bothered to eat today either..

Arthur was so busy running around trying to keep the house in order that he forgot to check on him. It wasn't that he didn't care, there was just so much going on right now... Ivan had texted him on and off but was stuck in business conferences, Francis was out doing his own errands.

In the end, it was Iain that sat with him again. The Scotsman had been barred from helping around the house, but refused to be idle.

Al continued to tap at his computer quietly. Iain just played on his phone for a little while, simply offering company while he worked. Sometimes, that was all Alfred needed.

It made him feel less alone at least, currently he was searching news reports on his country. The ill feeling from last night stuck with him making his stomach turn more.

"If anything was truly wrong, you would know it," Iain said softly after a few minutes. "Don't work yourself up over Molly's issues."

Al glanced up in surprise.

Iain just gave him a wan smile. "I've been around a few years, kid. I don't need magic to see what you're googling."

"Oh.."

"Your boss would have called you by now, don't you think?"

"Yeah probably.." But it still bothered him.. He knew the wind had never lied to him before..

"Trust your gut," the redhead nodded. "But if your boss hasn't called, Google isn't going to help you."

He sighs putting the laptop down. Iain set down his phone and turned to the young blond. "Talk to me. What's up?"

"I've just been kinda out of it today.. That and I can't shake the feeling something bad's waiting at home.."

"You don't have to leave until you're ready," he assured him softly. "We'll even head over with you, if you're that worried. But right now, I want to know why you've been hiding up here all day."

He sighs curling up, "I'm worried.. Ro's avoiding me again, Molly could be unconscious for all we know and I want Matt to come back and never leave.."

"Ro is avoiding all of us right now," Iain sighed. "If things start to settle down here, I can try and get you north to visit Mata, but I Cannae promise you... As for Molly, we just have to trust her. She can look after herself if she has to. They'll only get her if she lets her guard down..."

Al pulls over his rabbit rubbing on the ear. "Why's Ro being distant..? We just got her back..."

"That's something I'm trying to work out," Iain sighed. "I know she was pissed at being forgotten, but she's been out of sorts too long for that to be the issue."

Al still wanted to take her flying. Heck he could probably use a good flight himself to break his mood. So... Why not just burst into her room and tell her they were going out? The spontaneity might just break the funk she was building

"...Wanna go flying..?" Al wasn't sure if Iain still could, he had only shifted once that he saw.

Iain looked surprised at the offer, smiling softly. "I don't know if I still can. I've not tried it on my own."

Al smiles softly, "Worth a shot?"

"If I can get sprouting wings to an art, I might teach Molly too. She can play fae with Ro."

Al smiles shifting to his feet. Iain got up with a soft groan, still tender around his stomach. Still, a little pain never stopped the Scot from learning a new trick before.