Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, made possible by the Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. I have only borrowed his creation and I make no money. For this story I have used several other Rangers from the books, though I've also added my own. I do this only in the hope to entertain…

Author's Note: No harm shall come to the characters that can't be fixed with enough coffee…

Chapter 37

The next day, David found himself sitting in a chair beside his son's bedside, with no real change. Gilan was awake for periods, then slept, and at neither occasion was he interested in either talking or eating. King Duncan had told him to take a few days at the very least, to try and help his son, which he for once had accepted. He worried about his duties, but there was nothing so pressing it could not wait.

Halt, had taken a chair in the corner to go over reports, at least that was what David assumed it was from the stack of paper he had on the table beside him.

He thought Gilan had been dozing, but when the door was pushed open he glanced that way. David to looked, and at first thought Pauline was bringing food. Then he realized that though she carried a steaming bowl, it was not food. It was a far too large bowl, and she had a linen towel draped over her arm. She set it all down on the bedside table, smiling at the young Ranger. "I thought you were just about ready to get rid of this," reaching over, she gave the scraggly beard a playful if gentle tug.

"More than ready," Gilan acknowledged. "It itches, and I can't do anything about it."

"I thought so, I just wanted you a little more alert when I did it," Pauline mused. Gilan was struggling to push himself up a little and his father instantly leapt forward to help him.

"I can have the barber come up here and take care of it," he offered his son.

"No," Gilan bit back a moan as the movement of sitting up pulled painfully on his leg and ribs.

"Are you sure?" he frowned. Glancing at Pauline. "I mean no offence of course, but it can be tricky. I wouldn't dare to do it… The barber certainly won't object to coming up." There was an official barber in the castle, and he was quite good.

"I'd rather Pauline," Gilan stated firmly, and Halt looked up curiously. It was the most determined he had sounded about anything so far. "She taught me after all, I'd rather her."

"She taught you?" David sounded surprised, but Halt only gave an amused nod.

"Yes," Gilan pulled back a little, seeming to lose some of his confidence in the face of his father's surprise.

"We couriers have many talents," Pauline stepped in, smiling. She glanced at Halt, noting the lack of surprise on his face. She rather thought he had suspected it back then, when Gilan was a slightly more uncertain youth who hadn't done too well in his first attempt. It certainly didn't hurt to have someone show you a few tricks the first time. Neither she nor Gilan had divulged the information at the time though, feeling there was no need for anyone else to know, even if neither one of them were bothered by the fact. A courier could indeed find herself doing many an odd thing in the line of duty, and a minor disguise was not entirely uncommon. "Now, if you Gentlemen wouldn't mind stepping back…?"

With the young Ranger sitting up a bit more, she draped the towel over his shoulder and chest, before she took a pair of small, very sharp scissors. "I'll just trim it down a bit first, make it a little easier to handle," she smiled as she sat on the edge of the bed, facing him.

Gilan nodded, he trusted her fully, and though he was a little uncomfortable with the sharp instrument darting back and forth in front of his face, all he did was to close his eyes so he did not have to see it. Sitting back and relaxing as much as he was able as she worked.

"There, that should do it," putting the scissors down, Pauline took the soap instead, and soon had a good lather spread over the bristly stubble. She handled the straight razor with expertise and confidence David noted. There was just a slight flush to his son's cheek, which he would assume came from the embarrassment that he needed help with the task.

Once Pauline was finished, Gilan was cleanshaven and she used a damp towel to clean away all traces of soap suds.

"You look much better like this, very handsome," she smiled softly.

"Thank you," his hand shook slightly as he raised it to feel the smooth skin of his cheek. "It really feels better."

"It also comes with a price, I'm going to fetch you a little to eat, and you are going to do your best to finish it," Pauline told him softly but firmly.

Halt gave a nod of approval, Gilan wasn't obstinate it wasn't in his nature. Something was troubling him though, badly, but he would not want to go against Pauline. Especially not after she had just done him such an act of kindness. She would not have refused helping him shave again even if he denied the food, but Gilan revered Pauline and would walk through fire if she asked him. Having grown up without a mother, Halt did not think it so strange that he responded to a woman who saw him, and treated him like a surrogate son.

"I will," it was quiet, and hesitant, but it was a promise none the less.

"Don't worry, I won't be too cruel," smiling Pauline brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead. "We should give this a bit of a trim to, but that can wait." Gathering up the shaving supplies she took them out of the room. She had obviously already prepared the food, for she came in with a tray of hand pies and a mug of tea. "I thought we could all use something, she mused as she put two of the small pies on the table for Gilan, and the rest on the table where Halt sat.

Once more, the salt and pepper haired Ranger approved whole heartedly of his wife, with them all eating, at least the boy wouldn't be so self-conscious about it, and while it might leave crumbs in the bed, he did not need help with the hand pie the way he needed with just about everything else.

Twice he dropped the pie as he nibbled on it, but he was able to pick it up again, finishing it. Pauline helped him drink the tea, steadying his hand and smiling as he drank all of it. Halfway through the second pie though he started having more difficulties. He dropped the small pie several times and seemed to struggle against sleep.

"Perhaps it's time you get a little sleep," Pauline took the pie from his loose grip.

"Rather not," he bit his lip. The nightmares were starting to be more than he could handle. He dreaded sleep, and yet he was utterly exhausted for seemingly no reason at all.

"I'll stay here with you," David put in. "You can sleep."

"It's alright father, it's just dreams, you don't have to stay."

"I want to," David sighed inwards, his son really didn't expect him to stay with him. He expected him to put his duties first, which at some point he would have to do, but not yet. Not this time, at least not so soon. "Gilan, I know I was never able to be there for you as I should…"

"It's alright father, I understood," Gilan looked at him without even a hint of reproach in his eyes.

"I know you did, and I have always been very proud of you for that," David nodded. "But this once, I have the time to be here, at least for a while yet. And as long as I am able to do so, I want to. So you sleep, I will stay here and I will look after you as much as I am able."

"Okay father," Gilan nodded slowly. He was exhausted, and it did make him feel a bit better to hear that. To know that his father cared enough about him to do that. Not that he had ever doubted his father loved him. He knew he did, he also knew how demanding and how important his position was. How much King Duncan counted on his father, and it was not something he would ever get in the way of.

He had always understood why his father had no time, and he truly appreciated him doing what he was doing now.

The only problem was, he did not deserve it.

TBC Please review, the caffeine addicted Cricket is hungry…