Summary:

Cullen finally gets to go home!


Cocktails & Cheese

Cullen and Alistair - A Modern Day AU

Chapter 58

Mishaps & Misfortune - Part 15


True to his word, Alistair didn't leave Cullen's side. He was there when the EKG monitor was removed-much to the nurses' relief because Alistair and Cullen kept setting it off. He was there when the bulk of the bandages came off and may have thrown his name around to make sure he was present during all of Cullen's subsequent tests and examinations. He was there when Lana and Leliana brought them changes of clothes and a toiletry kit to freshen up. Alistair was even there when Morrigan showed up with Kieran. He stood there, next to Morrigan, surreptitiously wiping his eyes while Kieran climbed up onto the bed and told Cullen that he loved him.

As Cullen buried his face in Kieran's neck, his eyes weren't dry either.

Friends and coworkers came and went, wishing him well; even Mia showed up with her family, at first admonishing him for not calling her sooner, then just hovering and fussing over all of his injuries. Cullen endured it all with a sense of contentment and peace that he hadn't felt in months. The nightmares were finally gone; well, those nightmares were gone. With his history of PTSD, Dorian warned him that it wouldn't be uncommon for his original nightmares to return or to have new ones relating to the recent attack. He'd had a few, but each time his brain tried to make him relive the experience, Alistair soothed him and held him tighter. Cullen always drifted back to sleep, reassured that he was safe and loved - Alistair had a way of making him feel that way.

Rylen relaxed the order for guards on the room once Nick was apprehended. Even Nick's father refused to post bail and no one was more surprised than Cullen when a get well card and a plant from Loghain Mac Tir showed up for him. Neither Lana nor Dorian would allow the gift into the room until it was thoroughly inspected by them; just knowing so many people had his back helped Cullen relax and appreciate the gift for what it was: an olive branch of respect, if not friendship. Who would have ever thought that Cullen would be able to turn around the notorious Mac Tir patriarch, especially in a battle against his own son? He wasn't holding his breath that it would last, but for now, he welcomed it for the win that it was.

They kept Cullen in the hospital for three more days after he regained consciousness. Even with his miraculous recovery — or perhaps because of it — Doctor Parker wanted to make sure that there wasn't going to be a relapse or that they didn't accidentally miss anything in their extensive tests and examinations.

Finally, at the end of those three days, Cullen was allowed to go home. As soon as he walked in the front door, Kieran ran up to him and gently wrapped his arms around his middle.

"I'm so glad you're ok," Kieran said, a hesitant smile on his face.

Cullen knelt down to look him in the eye. "I am too."

Kieran laid his head on Cullen's shoulder and hugged him tightly. "For so many years it was just me, mom, and Urethemial. When Urethemial went with Grandmother, I thought I'd be lonely, but you and Dad filled that spot and so much more." He lifted his head to look across the room, where his father was talking to his mother. Looking back at Cullen, he beckoned him closer and whispered in his ear, "Dad probably doesn't want you to know, but he was a mess while you were in the hospital; I think you fill a spot for him too."

Brushing the hair out of Kieran's eye, Cullen said, "I like to think so, and he does for me too."

Kieran frowned. "I was so scared when they told me you were in the hospital. Auntie Lana told me not to worry, that she'd healed you herself, but it's hard not to worry."

Cullen said, "I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry that I worried you, but I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere... ever."

Lifting his head, with a hint of mischief in his eye, Kieran asked, "Does that mean that you and dad are going to get married, like Aunties Lana and Leliana?"

Cullen smiled sheepishly, stealing a quick look at Alistair. "Maybe someday... would that be okay with you?"

"Are you asking my permission?" Kieran winked.

"If I were, would you give it?" Cullen winked back.

"Probably, as long as I'm invited to the wedding," Kieran replied.

Cullen laughed and kissed Kieran on the forehead. "You know we could never do something like that without including you. I'll tell you what, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, know that I love you, and your father, and nothing will ever change that."

Kieran nodded, then grinned at his Auntie Lana who was covering her mouth hiding her own watery smile.

Cullen stood up gingerly as she reached out her hand to beckon him closer. "Let's fix the last of those injuries of yours, no sense in you suffering any longer than you have to."

Kieran wandered off leaving him alone with Lana. As the cool feeling of her magic flowed through him, Cullen took a deep breath and sighed with relief.

"Better?" she asked.

"So much better," he said, picking the tape from his fingers, bending and stretching them experimentally. "Thanks, Lana, for everything." He bent forward, picking her slight frame up off the ground and hugging her tightly.

"All right, all right. Put me down! Don't make me make you," she threatened.

"You wouldn't." He grinned and set her back on her feet.

"No, I wouldn't. Then again, you'd never do anything to make me want to." She patted his cheek fondly. "You're such a good boy."

He laughed — full bodied and boisterous. "Don't let Alistair hear you say that. He might try to corrupt me-again."

"It's not like you were a sweet, innocent Templar when I met you." Alistair grinned, walking up to them, then pulled him in close. "And after all those interruptions in the hospital, I thought you'd be up for a little corrupting later tonight." He kissed Cullen, lingering a couple moments longer than was appropriate with an audience.

"I swear that nurse Eduardo had a camera watching us, everytime you started getting a little… frisky, he'd show up and make us stop."

"Don't act like you never instigated it." Alistair reached up and traced his fingertips across Cullen's brow and down his cheek, pulling the taped bandages off as he went. When he reached Cullen's lips, he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on the scar that bisected them. "It's good to see you back to your old self again. It drove me crazy that Lana couldn't heal you right away."

"I've suffered longer with a lot worse." Cullen traced the path Alistair's fingers traveled over his face, feeling the lack of swelling and smooth, unblemished skin. When he reached his lips, he paused, fingers tracing the familiar scar that he knew had been recently re-opened. He turned to Lana. "You didn't heal this one?"

Lana grinned. "It was one of Alistair's favorite things to fantasize about kissing when you two first met; I couldn't take that away from him."

Cullen laughed, "Fair enough," then leaned his forehead against Alistair's. "Any other fantasies you used to have that I should know about?"

Before Alistair could respond, Dorian cut in, "All right you two, you'll have time for those kinds of shenanigans later, in case you haven't noticed, this is a family celebration. We need to keep this clean for the children."

Kieran hollered from across the room. "I've seen them kiss a million times, Dorian. I'm immune to it by now!"

"Yes, yes. I quite agree," said Zevran. "Let them kiss; it will give me adequate material for when I'm alone later." He wiggled his eyebrows until Leliana smacked him upside the head. "Ow! What? You cannot tell me that their love is not… inspiring."

The room broke out into comfortable laughter as Cullen joined the rest of the party. He didn't know that they were going to invite over those closest to him when he left the hospital, but he certainly couldn't complain. After a few minutes of mingling, Cullen looked around at everyone present: Lana, Leliana, Morrigan, Kieran, Dorian, Bull, Rylen, Anders, Isabela, and Zevran. "Wait," he said. "Who's watching the bar if all of you are here?"

Alistair looked down with a shrug. "The House of Whine and Cheese was closed for business the day you went into the hospital. Everyone's focus was elsewhere, my focus certainly was; I didn't want to have to worry about the bar too."

"But… you love your work," Cullen said, concerned.

"I love you more. Besides, it's not as if that's what pays the bills. For as long as you need me by your side, this is where I will be."

"There has been so much support for your speedy recovery, they will understand if the doors stay closed for a little while and will be there for us when we reopen." Leliana said. "You should see the sweet flowers and gifts left outside the bar. They've set up a little shrine in support of you two while you recover."

"You told your customers?" Cullen asked.

"Not us," Alistair scoffed. "We put up a sign saying there'd been a family emergency and that we'd be closed for the foreseeable future. You can blame Varric for spinning the media into an uproar to support the famous Commander, attacked at night as he was coming back from his devotionals at the chantry. He's been making quite the killing, turning our life into his very own romantic detective serial."

Bull laughed. "You've got to read them. They're freaking brilliant! And the best part is the name."

Cullen groaned. "I can only imagine." He looked around the room and noted everyone's amused expressions. "Ok, don't leave me hanging; someone tell me what he's come up with for our story."

"Cocktails and Cheese," Rylen said with a laugh.

Cullen looked at Alistair, smiling fondly. "Well, I have to say… it does fit. I suppose he's going to be retiring soon from the royalties."

Alistair shook his head. "Strangely enough, he's dedicating all profits toward putting Nick Loghain behind bars and covering your convalescence. After that, he's pledged all proceeds to go to Denerim's Domestic Violence Resource Center. So far, it's brought in enough to cover all of Anders' fees and at least three weeks of paid leave for you, after your initial six are up."

Anders approached with a hesitant smile. "I tried to tell them that it wasn't necessary to pay me — that I wasn't doing this for the money — but they insisted on covering my travel and all the court fees. Somehow, Varric guilted me into taking at least that."

Cullen smiled and reached out his hand, which Anders shook. "You deserve that and so much more. It's good to see you again."

"You as well," Anders said. "You are looking much better than the last time I saw you."

"Thanks to you and Lana." Cullen looked away. "Anders, I… I owe you a huge apology. We got off on the wrong foot and I'd like to know how I can remedy that."

Anders took a half of a step in and placed one hand on Alistair's shoulder and the other on Cullen's. Cullen looked up to a warm smile right before Anders pushed them together. "Just… be good to each other. That's all I ask. I wouldn't mind sitting and talking with you at some point, too… professionally I mean. I've followed your work for so long; I would be honored-"

"The honor would be mine. Thank you. You are truly the kind soul Alistair told me about, I'm just sorry I wasn't in the right frame of mind to see it earlier." A silent moment passed between them, ending with them both nodding in agreement. Cullen finally asked, "So, I take it, with the case, you'll be here for a while?"

"Yes," Anders said. "Even with everything stacked against Nick in neat and tidy rows like they are, these cases take time. We're looking at a six month stay at the very least. Much longer than your perceived recovery should take."

"Well good, then we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other."

Anders smilied. "I look forward to it."

"As do I," Cullen replied, then turned to Alistair, pulling him in for a quick kiss. "So, the bar is closed for now and I need to lay low for awhile… how would you feel about heading out to the family beach house for a couple months?"

Alistair's face lit up. "I'd really like that. The place is big enough for most of us; are we bringing the family?"

Cullen grinned, wickedly. "Maybe for a couple of those weeks. I wouldn't mind having you to myself for a while too."

"Mmmm, I like the way you think. But for tonight, I think we'd get into trouble if I didn't share you."

Isabela sidled up to them, handing each of them a drink. "Did someone mention sharing?"

Alistair accepted his drink, keeping one arm wrapped around Cullen's waist. "Bela, no. We've been over this!"

"Party pooper," she said with a wink and sauntered off.

Cullen pulled Alistair in for a passionate kiss. "In case I haven't told you recently, you defending my honor is incredibly hot. How long do we have to behave before I can steal you away?"

"With all the mishaps and misfortunes we've had recently, I think we're required to mingle for a couple hours at least. A lot of people were worried about you; it would be selfish of me to keep you all to myself. And besides, I am a patient man."

"Since when?" Cullen asked.

"Since it gives me time to plan for all the things I want to do to you later."

Cullen sputtered and blushed.

"Go socialize and play nice, I'll be over here until your blushing stops." Alistair wandered over to talk with Leliana and Anders while Cullen stood there shaking his head.

"That man's going to be the death of me," he said, smirking. "But what a way to go."


End Notes:

Thank you all for your continued support. I've decided to add one more chapter for your reading pleasure. This one is NOT the last! (yay!) And there will be another story arc added onto this little love of mine sometime later this year. So please stay subscribed, I will be adding on to their story. (Will I ever be done? Yeah, probably not.) The next arc will be a bit more fluffy than this angst ridden one, I promise.

I do have a few other Cullistair projects in the works, so if you're interested in reading what I have in store for you, subscribe to me and not just Cocktails and Cheese. :)

Thanks, as always, to Ponticle who once again lent their editing prowess to my work, and to Tatterdleaf for being my sounding board. I am damn lucky to be able to work with both of them. :)