An Unexpected Surprise [Modern AU]

[Arthur Pendragon]

"Your heart? So it's love then?" Oh . . . Ohhhhh that was . . . sooo not what Arthur had meant. Yet thinking back now it seemed that that was how his words could have been interpreted. He didn't know how to describe the feelings he had for Guinevère but it couldn't be love, just as she didn't love him. "When is the wedding then? What date have you set?" So many questions! Arthur opened his mouth to speak to explain to his father that they weren't getting married. That it wasn't love. That he would have to accept that he was going to be a grandfather through less than traditional means. That he was not ready to get married, and even if he wasn't ready to be a father he had no choice in the matter. Obviously in marriage, he did.

And he wasn't about to tie down either of them in such a union where they didn't love each other. His father was mad enough about Arthur having gotten Guinevère pregnant . . . he only dared to imagine how his father would be if he was telling him he was getting divorced. "We haven't set a date yet." Wait . . . WAIT! Did those words just come out of his mouth?! Arthur paused, letting them replay in his head . . . and made no attempt to correct them. If this was what his father thought for the time being, then perhaps it would help the ease the blow. Although, it could only make things worse when Arthur told him that he was lying to him and actually had no plans to marry her! So he did the best -- and only -- thing he could. Wait anxiously to see how his father reacted to this news.

[Guinevère]

Not what? It took all of Uther's years to not repeat his son's words to him in a shocked tone. Not set a date yet? His son was not marrying some girl he might have impregnated! He had not worked all his life to let the first girl who batted her eyes at his son get the reward! "You and this girl will be at the house for supper tomorrow night." He however, would spend tonight with his lawyers trying to sort out who she was and how best to deal with her!

Guinevère felt her phone vibrate and she picked it up to look at it. After a long moment of watching it ring, she sat it down. It was the first time in her life that she had ever played the coward and avoided a phone call. She was in the ER in rationalized, but in her mind she knew the truth. The post card and the phone call . . . Lancelot was planning on coming home again, and this time she would not be the girl waiting on him. She would be the girl by Arthur's side.

If he let her be that for him.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Tomorrow night? So soon? Arthur wasn't entirely surprised to hear it, though he wondered how Guinevère would be feeling. At the same time, his father's words were not a request nor a question: they were a statement. An indisputable one at that. Making him all the more nervous. If she truly wasn't feeling up to it, he would make up an excuse. "Yes Sir," he said formally, his mind still processing the words of falsity that he had offered his father. That he was apparently getting married to Guinevère and --- would he need to buy a ring?! Perhaps he could temporarily give him the one that his mother had give him. One of the few possessions of hers that he owned. That would do it. Just until Arthur could think of another excuse; another way to make this news less alarming to his father. "Thank you for your time," he added as a formal parting as he nodded his head and made his leave.

He closed the door behind him once he was outside his father's office and leaned against it for a moment. What the hell had he just done?! The questioned played over and over in his mind, all the way back to Guinevère's room where she was waiting, and thankfully not asleep. "Ready to go home?" He asked, wanting her to know that he would personally take her home and he planned to stay with her until she felt better. "They said that you can be discharged," he added, so that she also knew she would not be leaving against medical advice. "You just have to sign some papers at the desk." And then, she could get out of here and properly rest for the rest of the day.

[Guinevère]

"Ready to go home?" Guinevère jumped slightly when she heard Arthur come into the room, and then smiled brightly over at him. He was back! "They said that you can be discharged," Good! She was more then ready to go home! Curl up in bed and ask him to stay for a while if he was free. "You just have to sign some papers at the desk." "I can do that," She told him, knowing if it meant she could leave she would sign anything!

Yet before she did, there was something she would ask of him and Guinevère rather hoped it wasn't against the rules. "They did an ultrasound today when checking on the baby. I didn't get to see it real well." She explained, wondering if they put anything in her file. "Is there any way to see . . . . they printed some things off . . . . I was wondering if there was a photo." Of her baby--of THEIR baby!! She wanted to see it! Him or her!

[Arthur Pendragon]

An ultrasound. While he knew he shouldn't be surprised by the words as it was standard procedure as they had to check that the baby was alright . . . he still felt surprised by them. Perhaps because it was their child, and not some random patients that he never met prior to whatever circumstance had caused their meeting. But this time, it was different. It wasn't just a random stranger; it was Guinevère. The mother of his child . . . and his fiance, apparently. "Sure. Let me just check with the doctor. They probably tucked a picture of the baby in your file. I'll see if we can get a copy." He wished he could have been here with her when she was getting her ultrasound done. All it mean was that he would be here for the next one. He left the room, checking with the front desk about her file and the whereabouts of the sonographer that had helped with her ultrasound.

When he was given the location, he went and requested that they get a printed picture of the baby. It didn't take more than five minutes for them to arrange everything, and Arthur knew why. Because when the son of Uther requested something, you gave it to him right away. Nobody wanted to upset the chief of the hospital, since it very well could cost them their job. Thanking them for the picture, Arthur left it in the envelope, deciding that they could look at it together, and share that moment. Returning to her, he held up the sealed brown envelope. "Got it," he explained and kept it in his hand rather than handing it to her. "I thought that we could take a look at it when you're home and settled." Rested, lying down somewhere comfortable. A better end to a most difficult day for her.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère had gone to the desk and signed her papers. All of them. She noticed the nurses kept staring at her, and then talking in low voices to each other. Guinevère wondered if it was because they though the child was Arthur's or if she had something on her face beside the signs from today. "I thought that we could take a look at it when you're home and settled." Smiling up at him, she though that was sweet for him to want it to be seen together--she had not missed his 'we'!

"I like that," She admitted, "Being comfortable before we see it together." Because it made them sound united and very . . . . domestic. Yes, that was the word she was looking for. It made them sound very domestic. In a lower voice she spoke to him as they walked toward the exit, "You will be pleased to know that I went to the store, and you have coffee now." That sounded domestic too! She wondered if he would think it too much. Guinevère did not wish to seem clingy or push too hard, but today had showed herself something . . .

She wanted more Arthur in her life, and she wanted him to stay.

[Arthur Pendragon]

He was glad to hear that she liked that. And was not put off by him -- yet again -- self inviting himself to her house. This time it was different though. He didn't want her to be by herself after having endured such a traumatizing experience. Her brother was not here, and he had no idea who her other close friends were. Besides, he didn't even know if anyone else knew about the baby . . . and he would feel far better being the one there taking care of her. Rather than relying on someone else he may not know well to do so. Checking around for her belongings, he took her purse for her, and made sure everything else was set. She then informed him that she now had coffee and he couldn't help but chuckle with amusement. "Excellent!" He exclaimed, finding it rather caring of her to accommodate things he liked, knowing that she did not drink coffee herself.

"I'll be able to drink it in my new mug, which I regrettably left at your place." He wanted her to know -- and this seemed like a good subtle way to slip it in -- that he had not left it there on purpose, or out of spite. That he had truly just forgotten it and wished he hadn't "Come on, lets get out of here," he added as he put his arm around her as they walked toward the exit. He did this both to give her more support and stability, but also . . . because he wanted to keep her close to him. Not that he thought she was going to run off anywhere. But perhaps it was for his own comfort; to remind him that she was safe. Passing Leon, he thanked him for everything and told him to keep him updated on the drunk driver's state. With that, they were out of the hospital and to his car -- which thankfully had not been towed despite his illegal parking. He quickly went to the passenger's seat so that he could open it for her.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère was glad that he had not really left it on purpose, but did not choose to comment on it, because she didn't want him to think she wondered of he had. There was no use starting anything over something he seemed to want to make sure she knew was an accident. She would add no guilt to him.

It was when his arm went around her as they walked that she finally spoke. "It's been years since I have road in the front seat of a car." Taxi's didn't let you ride up front, and in a city this size it was cheaper and easier to not own a car and just walk or catch the bus to wherever you needed to go. Arthur opened the door for her and she smiled at him for a moment before getting in and sliding her seat belt around her. It was so clean and smelled new in here. Was it new?

[Arthur Pendragon]

"It's been years since I have road in the front seat of a car." Wait . . . did she not own a car? Arthur refrained from questioning it right away, not wanting to offend her. But the thought was strong in his mind. Did she have her license? Was a car just unnecessary? Could she . . . afford one? He tried not to ask anything right away, not wanting to sound spoiled, for he supposed a car was a luxury rather than something affordable for everyone. Once she was seated inside, he closed the door and went over to the driver's seat, realizing that in his panicked frenzy, he had left his phone in the car. Once in, he fastened his belt and began to drive off. "Do you normally take the bus then?" He asked casually, making sure to keep any judgment out of his tone, and asked out of genuine curiosity.

She worked every morning until late afternoon. And now with the baby it would become even more difficult. All he knew was that he wanted to be here for her as much as he could . . . and he wondered if it would be too much if he offered one of his cars to her, for as long as she needed it. Perhaps it would be best for now to just offer her a ride when she needed one. Though he knew better than to make a jab at her Independence. At least now he was doing something that he didn't often do before: think before speaking.

[Guinevère]

She watched as he got in, and how he moved, not for any reason other then everything he did was very manly and she rather like watching him do things that men did. Like drive a car. Not that women didn't drive a car, or do everything men did, but she liked watching Arthur do something she could not. It wasn't a skill she had ever needed.

"Sometimes, to work mostly." She admitted, "But I like to walk to everywhere. You get to see so much more, like little shops and people. The market, the park and even a cinema is all with in a few blocks of my flat." So walking was cheaper, good exersie and was a great way to learn the city. "Though it's it's dark I tend to just call a cab." She wasn't foolish, she knew how to be safe and not to walk home int he dark. This was a large city, and while it was safe--there was still dangers. "Do you drive most places?"

[Arthur Pendragon]

He listened as she explained how she walked most places. He supposed that made sense, though he could not deny the convenience. Had she ever had one? Or had she always relied on public transpiration. At least she took a cab at night; that was a relief! He didn't like the thought of her walking anywhere by herself, especially at night time. It was part of the reason he had gone to the park that day to meet her . . . because he didn't want her to be alone, but also because he wanted to be with her. "I do," he said, answering her question. "Most of the places I regularly go to aren't within walking distance of my house." Whether it be the hospital, the gym, his father's place, various friend's houses etc. He paused for a moment, trying to mentally formulate a way to say these next words; wanting to delicately phrase it.

"Since you're going to be showing soon, and you might not have as much energy to walk places . . . if you ever need a lift somewhere, just give me a call." He thought of his words after he said them, and hoped there was nothing in there that would cause offense. He figured it was better to offer a ride than to offer a car. Either way he wanted to offer something so that she would not have be inconvenienced. "Or I can just pick it up for you if you aren't feeling up to going." Groceries, any other errands she had . . . he wanted to make himself more available to her and wanted to make sure she knew it.

[Guinevère]

Guinevère could tell that he was trying to phrase things better, for she knew what his words were saying. She was learning to read him, and it made her proud. "I might take you up on that with winter coming." She told him, more to be agreeable then really mean it. If he was there, and she could just ask him then she might, though if he wasn't she would not awaken him and make him drive to get her and then drive her to work and then drive her home.

"If you have not eaten supper, perhaps we can get some take away?" If he was hungry, for she knew she didn't feel like cooking tonight. She wanted too! She felt restless when she was too tired to do anything, but also knew Arthur would not let her cook him supper while injured. She knew that much about him. Since he offered to pick something up if she needed it, and there would be no getting off the bus and then waiting for the next one . . . .

"Perhaps something Italian? The place on 2nd street is on the way and they have the best mushroom spaghetti in the world."

[Arthur Pendragon]

"I might take you up on that with winter coming." He hoped she did, and was at least glad to hear that she may. He would encourage her to do so . . . and perhaps try to revisit that subject of moving in together. Depending how they got along, for moving in with someone could either be beneficial to two people's relationship, or extremely hazardous. When she brought up supper, he thought for a moment . . . knowing that he could eat. Then again, when was he not hungry? "That actually sounds really good," he said in full agreement. "I'm going to take you home first though. Then I'll just order it for delivery." He didn't want her to be in the car longer than necessary, especially as she most likely had a concussion, and she should be lying down comfortably, rather than sitting up in a moving vehicle.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, realizing he hadn't asked her that since he'd first seen her in the room. Did she want him to pull over at all? Would she be alright for the next few minutes until they got to her place? Was she feeling any worse with the baby? He had so many more detailed questions, but without sounded too panicked . . . he let the one question encompass them all. He still had yet to tell her about his big mouth that had blatantly fibbed to his father . . . and that the man that had terrified her, would be who they would be spending dinner with tomorrow. If she felt up to it of course.

[Guinevère]

"I'm going to take you home first though. Then I'll just order it for delivery." That would be nice, to be able to sit and rest while waiting on the food. They could look at the photo and have a moment together before the food gt there, since it normally took a half hour to get it delivers. Not that she oftened ordered out but she had ordered it a few times. "That's fine," She told him, while watching him drive his car, enjoying the sight of him working when he wasn't looking back at her. He had to watch the road of course.

"How are you feeling?" He asked and Guinevère smiled softly, "Sore, and my head hurt a little, but not as much as it did earlier." She admitted, "Though I mostly feel disappointed. I didn't get to see the zoo." She teased, knowing that she went every years, and missing it once was sad but not enough to make her mope or not enjoy their time together. "I hope the children could at least go, though I have the feeling the police kept them their most the day." Unless another bus came to get them.

[Arthur Pendragon]

He was glad to hear that she was at least doing better than before. Hopefully with a good night's rest, she would be feeling much better. He smiled when she spoke of how she missed the zoo, and how she hoped the children were still able to enjoy their trip. Though the more likely scenario was that they remained with the ambulances to make sure everyone was alright, and then waited for their parents to pick them up. After all, such an accident was quite a traumatizing experience. "The zoo will still be there when you're feeling well enough to go again," he told her encouragingly. Perhaps he would take her . . . so that she did not have to feel like she was missing out. "Besides, I'm still waiting for my picture with you and the giraffes," he teased, wanting to help lighten the mood to help keep her in good spirits.

Though it didn't seem that they were very dampened. That was the remarkable thing about her; she always seemed so positive and optimistic. "Although, you should probably take the rest of the week off," he added. So much for not dampening the mood . . . but it was important. And she seemed like enough of a hard worker to not want to take the adequate amount of rest that she needed. "Doctor's orders," he added more teasingly -- though with truth -- as he looked at her while saying these words, giving a bit of a smile before turning his eyes back on the road ahead of him. Last thing she needed was to get in another accident.

[Guinevère]

"The zoo will still be there when you're feeling well enough to go again," Yes but these students would not be, this was their trip and she wanted to be able to share it with them. Even still, she knew there would be other trips and other adventures she could take them on--and be safer! No more standing up in the middle of the bus, she would sit in her seat and just turn to look at them. "Besides, I'm still waiting for my picture with you and the giraffes," That made her laugh and nod her head, "My next trip perhaps."

"Although, you should probably take the rest of the week off," That made her laughter slow, but not her smile fade. "I would be bored out of my mind," she reminded him, but then he added, "Doctor's orders," and she found herself chuckling again. "Half a week? I will go back on Thursday. Any more and the children would worry." And she didn't want them overly worried about her.

[Arthur Pendragon]

She spoke of how bored she would be and it made him wonder what she did in the summer time. Did she take on a summer job? Did she go traveling at all? It was just one of the many things he didn't know about her . . . yet he was learning more and more. "Tell you what, how about I take you to visit your students so that they don't worry. If you take the rest of the week off." A compromise. Besides, she shouldn't be working eight hour days this week, which probably didn't include commute time. This way, he could take her himself, and it would put to rest her mind that her students would be worried about her. "Use this week to relax and rest up. I mean, what do you do in the summer when you aren't working?" There. Now he could learn a bit more about her hobbies and how she spent her spare time.

Arthur tried to think of a time when he wasn't working, and he realized that his memory didn't go that far back. The only time he had 'off' was travel time, and even then he usually went away for business. His father often arranged those meetings and such for him, wanting him to make a name for himself not just nationally, but internationally. And this thought process led Arthur's mind to rest on his father . . . and the lie he had told him . . . and tomorrow. Oh dear. How he was dreading tomorrow. He quickly snapped out of these thoughts, making sure he didn't miss anything of what Guinevère said. He didn't want it to seem like he was ignoring her after all.

[Guinevère]

"Tell you what, how about I take you to visit your students so that they don't worry. If you take the rest of the week off." He was making a deal with her? She watched him for a moment, debating on if she should before faking a dramatic sigh and agreeing, "Alright, but I want to bake cupcakes and take them in on that day. And not store buy them!" She warned, "But real home made cupcakes and real home made icing!" The good sort! Not the bad sort!

"What do you do in the summer when you aren't working?" He had asked her, and she paused to think a moment before she could answer. "Depends on what is happening in town. I tutor some, volunteer some, and I have a year around part time job with the local publication for the city event's magazine were I do all their grammar and spell checking every month." For extra money in the summers since she wasn't getting paid for teaching. "And for one week of the summer I pick a place and disappear too. Most the time it's a cheap cabin up north, where I can curl up and read as many books as I can or walk some trails."

"What do you do to get away?"

[Arthur Pendragon]

She spoke of making homemade cupcakes for them and . . . for some reason that didn't surprise him. In fact, he had half expected her to do as much. "Then sounds like I'll be taking you grocery shopping too," he said teasingly, not sure if she had all the ingredients. Or if she was even up for it. All he meant by his words was that he was being, supportive. Even though it may seem like a strange thing to be supportive of. He was just glad to hear that she was accepting his offer, and agreeing to the compromise set in place. She then went on to explain what she did in her summers . . . which sounded rather productive. It was good to hear that she got some time in for herself, for as she explained, she went to the cabin to enjoy the peace and quiet it seemed. Had she gone there before with her boyfriend? Or well, ex?

He refrained from asking that particular question, not wanting to bring him up as it didn't seem like a subject she was comfortable discussing. And for understandable reasons of course. "That actually sounds pretty relaxing," he said genuinely. "Must be nice to just get away from everything, and have some you time." Even if it was a random cabin in the woods. Point is, it was away from the hustle and bustle of the city. "What do you do to get away?" A fair question, since he had just asked her the same. "Mostly, I just play football with my mates," he answered simply, as it was one of his favorite pastimes, one that he often made time to engage in rather than just do whenever he had free time. "Apart from that, mostly working." And well, dating but again, that didn't sound like a good subject to bring up right now.

[Guinevère]

"Then sounds like I'll be taking you grocery shopping too," She laughed softly at his jest and knew it was true, "Yes, but you eat them too!" She compromised with him! "Even the frosting if you are the sort who likes to lick the jar." Some people did and some people didn't. She wondered if he had a sweet tooth or if he was more of a meat man. She wanted to know so she could cook for him this week. Often. She wanted him over more and more and more . . . .and more.

"That actually sounds pretty relaxing," It was! And wonderful to just read and be away from the sounds and the hustle and the bustle! "Must be nice to just get away from everything, and have some you time." Did he not get away? "Mostly, I just play football with my mates," That wasn't a vacation! That was a sport that you played for a few hours at the most. He worked in a high stressed job, and even if he loved it, he still needed to slow down once in a while. "Apart from that, mostly working."

"Can I come watch you play sometime?" She asked, wondering if he would mind, "Do you want to come on vacation with me this year?" She asked, sounding both as if she liked the idea and was hesitant of asking because she feared the no answer, "It could be the three of us, since the baby will be here in late April . . . . .We could go as a family." The three of them.