I just realised that six of you have this story on your alert list and thought I better update. Enjoy.

Gawain ran up a back alley and slowed to a walk beside his friend "Tristan…" he began and was allowed to continue. "All these fifteen years you have been alone and now, Tristan, you need our help if you ever wish to return home."

Tristan was limping along rather quickly for someone who had almost been killed a few days ago and, apparently, ignoring him. Gawain followed Tristan back to his room "Tristan please don't hurt your self further," He nodded and tuned in as Arthur came up the hall "Gawain how is he?"

"Fine, I think, he will heal."

"Good Gawain, I will leave for Rome, I have put it of too long, take care of everybody while I am gone."

"I will."

Arthur smiled and turned to leave, Tristan opened the door quietly, and brushing past Gawain limped after his superior of fifteen years. "Arthur! You don't think you an pick me of the battle field then leave without a farewell," he placed his hand on Arthur's shoulder

"I will miss you Tristan, I hope to find you in good health when I return." Arthur said and escorted him back to Gawain before disappearing into the darkness.

"Well he is gone."

Gawain helped Tristan limp inside he was growing tired again. Gawain suddenly gabbed his arm and pulled it out "Tristan how in God's name did you manage to fall on your knife!" he exclaimed, sure enough, there was a thin knife cut running the length of his arm, Tristan shrugged, supremely unconcerned. "Get some rest Tristan, the sooner you heal the sooner we can go home". Tristan gave Gawain a rare smile. "Home." he repeated, before closing the door again. Gawain smiled back at his friend, well at his friend's door to be precise.

"How on earth does he manage to make near death sound like a scratch?"

He sighed deeply strongly resenting the fact that he must tell his comrades that Arthur had left.

"Best give him time to exit the city," he thought to himself.

A loud crash pulled him out of his thoughts. There was another crash from behind the door and Gawain guessed that Tristan was in the process of either breaking something or hurting himself. However Gawain was not game to check, having unwittingly given Tristan his knives back

"Tristan?" he called thought door "Are you alright, Tristan?"

"Mmmmm." came the muffled reply.

"Tristan are you alright or not?" Gawain was getting very fed up with his comrade's musing.

"I'm fine Gawain," he yelled back. Gawain turned to leave, then paused contemplating Tristan's previous use of the word fine. Silently he swung the door open to find Tristan searching through his room, progressively throwing things around. He tuned to fine Gawain in his door.

"Tristan you should not be moving so much you'll hurt yourself."

"Where is my sword Gawain" he asked in a deadly tone.

"Give it to me now."

Gawain would not have been surprised if Tristan had advanced on him with his knife. Grudgingly, though perhaps wisely, he handed him a sheathed sword , which he had been carrying on his belt.

"Now will you rest?" he said despairingly. Tristan pulled it out of its sheath and satisfied that it was his, nodded then quickly sat on the edge of his bed not wishing to fall over in front of Gawain again

"Tristan I have given you your sword, now you are coming with me,"

"Gawain, please, no." he was almost pleading with the knight

"Come on." he roughly grabbed Tristan's arm and guided him back to the healing wards, amide his admirable struggles and curses.

"Tristan, it's for your own good," Gawain, said exasperatedly leading him back to this allotted room in the healing wards.

A few hours later Arthur wandered in.

"I thought you where leaving my friend."

"Well when I was informed off this..." he gestured to Tristan's war torn form lying peacefully on the bed "…I decided I'd stay. I can't leave without knowing how he will fare." Arthur looked over at Gawain who was looking as though he'd been pulled through several bushes and hadn't slept in a few weeks "Also it appears we are the only ones who'll watch him .You could use a back up."

"That's kind of you Arthur." Gawain replied sarcastically.

"Gawain let me watch him for a while, he's not exactly feeling charitable towards me at the moment, but I'll watch him."

"That is a very good idea, but I'll stay as well, if he wakes up again he will struggle, despite being hardly able to walk."

Arthur nodded and settled next to Gawain.