Interlude:

Arthur wasn't sure what to do. Amelia was sitting at the table in front of him and she didn't come to him saying that she had found another baby in her bed or anything like that. When he had asked the seven why she was here, all she said was "Alfred is tired." Then she asked for pancakes. Loudly.

"C'mon Iggy, I'm hungry!" she said as she swung her legs back and forth.

"Amelia, what do you mean Alfred is tired?" Arthur asked as he sat in front of her. He had to stop himself from sneering at her clothes and instead focused on getting answers out of her.

"He just is. He told me his head hurt, so I came out to help." She told him. Then "Can I go out and play after breakfast?" There was a smile on her face and she just lit up in Arthur's eyes.

He sighed and got ready to make her something, his back to her. "After breakfast, we are going shopping to get you some proper clothing."

"But I have clothes on already." She said looking at his back.

"Those are Alfred's clothes. You need girls clothes." He told her. He glanced at her and frowned. She was wearing Alfred's breeches and also had on his loose white tunic that wasn't tucked in. Her feet were bare as they continued to swing back and forth above the floor, waiting for her breakfast. She was humming some tuneless song as she looked around the kitchen.

"Why?" She asked. It was a simple enough question, but if she was anything like Alfred, she would go on and on until she had him pulling out his hair.

"Because you are a girl and Alfred is a boy." He answered. "And boys and girls wear different clothes."

"Why?"

"Because it's proper." He got out a mixing bowl and the ingredients.

"Why?"

"Because that's how the world works." He started mixing everything and it was soon ready to cook. He got out a frying pan and some butter out of the icebox. His patience was starting to wear thin.

"Why?"

"Because I said so!" He yelled slamming the pan on the stove. 'It's only been 5 bloody minutes since she appeared and I already want to ring her little neck.' He thought as he put a slab of butter in the warming pan.

"…Okay." She said, staying quiet. After mostly burning the pancakes and turning the eggs and bacon black, did he look at her again. She was quiet for too long, and he was sure she was still there. She was still there in fact, but now her head was cradled in her arms and she was pouting like the whole world was against giving her what she wanted. He sighed.

"Pick your head up so you can eat. You can go and play after you get your new clothes." He told her. She brightened up instantly and dug into her black and grey meal. Arthur noticed her table manners were every bit as atrocious as Alfred's, and if she was going to stay out and about then she would damn well learn how to eat like a lady of high standing.

"Amelia-"

"Finished!" She shouted jumping from her chair and running for the kitchen door that led to their back garden.

"Stop!" He yelled. Her feet stopped, but her upper body apparently didn't get the message, because her whole torso tipped forward and before Arthur could even make a move to try to catch her she was falling on her face.

"Oww…" she groaned as Arthur went over to check over her. Except for a bump on her forehead, she was fine so instead of babying her like he wanted to do when she first went down, he scowled down at her.

"If you had just listened to me instead of trying to rush off, you wouldn't have that lump growing on your head."

"But you said I could play." She said pitifully rubbing the forming bump.

"Don't mess with it!" He told her. "And I said you could play after we get you some proper clothing." He started towards his study to get his wallet and spring coat and came back to the kitchen to see she was gone and the door open. "Damnit!" He cursed going out the door. It only took him a moment to locate the wayward girl; she was running around chasing what looked like an orange and black butterfly. 'She didn't even put on any shoes!' he thought as he tried to calm himself before he did something that he would later regret.

"Amelia." He said sharply to get her attention. She stopped running and looked over at him, knowing she was in trouble. He could tell she knew she was in trouble, because she got a certain look on her face. It was the same look that Alfred would get on his face when he knew he was in trouble and giving that look was the difference between an aching bottom or a simple five minute time-out. But it wasn't working this time that was for sure. "What did I tell you?"

She blinked up at him and opened her mouth to say "Something about clothes." Her head tilted to the left. "Why do I need new clothes? I already have some."

He sighed, and grabbed her arm. 'Lord, help me with this child.' He thought as he led her out of the house.

Aki: I'm so ashamed.... this is so short it's not even funny.... I'M SO SORRY EVERYONE!!! I just wanted to give you all something to read while I work on chap. 9. There might be a part two to this, but I'm not sure. You don't have to review if you feel you don't have to, but it would make me feel better for giving you such a lameass chapter. TT^TT

Also, If you like LOTS of humor in your APH fanfics, read Cobblestone Secrets, by TheEvilMuffinToster. It's too awesome to describe, so you've got to read it yourselves! :D