He shivers slightly in the light chill of the midmorning but Alfred sits firm on the picnic table. He's always come to this spot in the small McDonald's parking lot whenever he's felt overwhelmed. It's always been a safe haven for him especially when his mother first got sick and then later on when his father left it was the only place he felt he could be alone and at peace with nothing but him and the woods beyond. While the early morning reunion went fine by nine the initial shock had worn off and now he's left feeling raw and slightly angry. So as soon as he saw an opening he left for his spot and now with a small bag in his hands he just watches the snow covered branches waiting for his alarm to go off telling him to get ready for tonight's date.

As he nibbles on a now cold, soggy fry a voice calls to him from an open window of a blue car, "Alfred…Lad why don't you come in where it's warm?" Arthur doesn't blame him for being upset; hell he'd be twice as cross if it was the other way around. So he's not one bit surprised when Alfred doesn't even look his way. "Alright then." He says to himself as he rolls up the window and shuts off the engine before walking out to sit beside his son. They sit in awkward silence for what seems like hours before Arthur breaks it, "Can I have a chip?"

"They're cold." While he says it he moves the bag over for his father to grab a fry. "How did you know I was here anyway?" While it comes out with a hint of spite he's honestly curious.

Taking a bite Arthur shrugs slightly, "Well this is where'd I bring you for a quick lunch when you were younger." He takes another letting a small smile cross his face, "Oh your Mother would get so crossed with me for letting you eat this garbage as she called it but you loved it. And to be honest I love these burgers too." Slowly his hand reaches deeper into the bag and pulls out one of the burgers on the bottom.

Alfred watches in slight surprise, "Really? I…I don't remember that." He looks down at the bag, "Why did you leave?" Blinking rapidly he tries to force any tears away that are trying desperately to rise to the surface. "Why the fuck did you leave and, and pick now to come back?" His voice cracks slightly as he looks away. "What the fuck was so special about this year?"

In an instant Arthur has his arms around his son's wide shoulders pulling him into a warm embrace. It's all he thinks to do, "Alfred…son I left…because I was afraid that you boys hated me." Even when he says it out loud it seems like a poor excuse, "I was a bloody fool and I hope…I hope you can forgive me." He continues to hold his son's head to his chest, "Alfred" He's cut off by a loud alarm and he nearly jumps off the table.

Quickly wiping his tears Alfred grabs his phone, "I um…we need to go home and get ready."

"Alright…do you want me to drive you home?" He hopes the question didn't sound like a weak plea as his son jumps down off the table.

While he'd rather just walk home to be alone with his thoughts Alfred nods slowly, "Okay…Dad." As he slides into the passenger seat he looks out at the fogged up window, "You really didn't answer my question."

"Which one?"

"The what makes this year special one." He still refuses to look his father in the eye almost afraid to know what he'll find in his jade eyes. "Why not just stay in Great Britain until we graduate and fucking leave ourselves?" He can't stop the anger now and after all these years he finally feels like he deserves answers. "Why the fuck do you care now!?"

Arthur slams on the breaks as he nearly goes through a red light, "I've always cared Alfred! I might not have showed it as much as I should have but I've always cared! I've always loved you and your brother."

"Well you have a funny way of showing it don't you?"

"I…" His words get caught in his throat as the light turns green, "What do you want me to say? That I was an idiot? That I couldn't deal with raising two teenage boys that reminded me so much of what I lost? That I didn't want my sons to see me drinking my life away!?"

In a flash Alfred's head whips around his blue eyes full of rage, "Do you know how selfish you just sounded!? It was all I! I wanted, I couldn't, I was! What about us!? You weren't the only one that lost Mama that night! You weren't the only one that was hurting! But instead of seeing that you got fucking drunk off your ass and then when it got too hard to handle you ran!"

Arthur just stares at him as a car behind them honks, "I know I wasn't the only one hurting…I knew you two were in pain but at the time…I did run. But when I finally came to my senses I didn't think you two would want me back in your life."

"Of course we wanted you! You're our father for fuck's sake! Do you realize that every day until we turned eighteen I feared that child protection services would come to our door and pull us out and separate us! Do you know how terrified I was that I'd be left…alone?"

The Briton doesn't know what to say as he inhales slowly taking his son's hand into his squeezing it tightly, "You'll never be alone Alfred because I swear I'll never leave you two again."

Alfred turns back towards the window almost refusing to listen let alone believe him anymore, "Actions speak louder than words Dad."

Finally Arthur drives the car out of the intersection he whispers out, "Aye son they really do…"