An Unexpected Surprise [Modern AU]

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur gave a small smile as she spoke of how she would be with him in an instant if he was injured. Or that he would be here if she was, in a protective manner. It was how siblings should be . . . how he and Morgana had once been. But no more. He was only glad to hear that she had a strong relationship with her brother. And did hope that he return soon so that she would not have to live alone -- or only with Lucifer. "It sounds like you two are close," he said with a slight smiling, not failing to notice that her eyelids seemed to be growing heavier. She just needed to stay awake for a little while longer. "Its what you do for family I suppose. Always be there for them, always support them." In that way, Arthur wished he had more family like that.

His father was completely against this entire pregnancy, and he knew he would be all the more against it once he found out the truth . . . and the background of Guinevère. He would never have his support, and his father would never accept this. "I'm glad for you in that sense. That no matter how many losses you have faced, you still have your protective brother." She had lost her mother, father and the one she believed to have loved -- or the only serious relationship she had. At least she still had that one constant in her life: Elyan. And if she let him, then Arthur would be the second.

[Guinevère]

"Its what you do for family I suppose." "It's what you do when you love someone." Guinevère corrected, knowing that was why her and Elyan went so far for each other. It was because they loved each other. He was her brother, and she was his sister--and no matter what happened between them they would be there for each other. Nothing could change that. Nothing would change that. "I love my brother, and I have never doubted that he loves me. Distance can't change that.

Tilting her head she looked up at Arthur's face as best as she could. She watched him for the longest moment before she spoke again in a soft voice. "You know if you ever needed anything, you could call me and I would come, right?" Because they were family too now. Bonded though a child yes, but also some history and memories of their own now.

This was the closest she had come to telling him the secret that was in her heart, and she wondered if he would connect things. Yet before they could speak again--the smell of hot food and a knock at the door broke the moment.

[Arthur Pendragon]

"It's what you do when you love someone." Arthur gave a small smile, agreeing with the words. For when you loved someone, you fulfilled all those things he had just said: offered comfort and support, and were there whenever the other person may need you -- whether they knew it or not. He remained silent as she looked at him, and he returned the gaze . . . just watching her. Contemplating leaning forward to kiss her, especially after the words she said to him. "You know if you ever needed anything, you could call me and I would come, right?" While he didn't make the connection, he truly appreciated the words. He wanted to vocalize the reciprocation, as he had once had before saying that if ever she need something he hoped she would come to him. Yet he wished to say them again. Perhaps because they were closer now?

He didn't know the reasons . . . nor did he know why he couldn't speak at all. Just stare at her, with soft longing, finding that he was acting on instinct as he slowly leaned forward, and forward ----Until there was a knock at the door and cause Arthur to quickly turn his head to the side. "Must be the food," he said, clearing his throat. He slowly and carefully moved her off of him as he went to the door, reaching his hand in his pocket to pull out his wallet. After paying for the food-- which smelled delicious -- and tipping the delivery boy, Arthur used his foot to close the door and went to the kitchen to get the food ready. "It smells phenomenal," he said, speaking aloud his thoughts.

[Guinevère]

Arthur moved closer to her, and to appeared as if he might kiss her. Guinevère lifted up her hand to almost cup his neck and help lift her up to the kiss--"Must be the food," She helped him by moving up and holding Lucifer, until the door shut. The she set him down and walked to the kitchen to help him ready the food.

"It smells phenomenal," Guinevère had not missed how he'd paid for her, and it had been her suggestion and her house. She should have done it, but she was trying to give more and not be as independent. "Just wait until you taste it." She promised, getting out everything they would need. "It's wonderful."

Knowing she had no table, and they would have to eat on the couch, she moved some cups and drinks that way so neither of them would have to get up for a while.

[Arthur Pendragon]

"I believe you," he said just judging from how it sounded and the smell of it. Seeing that she was shifting things over to the couch -- which served as another reminder that he had destroyed her table and really should gift her with a new one -- he followed suit. Taking the boxes out of the bags, and carrying them over. He set them down on the coffee table before he went back, opening different cupboards until he found the plates, and pulled out a couple of forks and knives from the drawers. "It'll be my first time eating something from this place and judging from the smell, it probably won't be my last." Figuring they had everything that they needed, he set everything up on the coffee table and opened the boxes, putting some for her before he made his own plate.

"Have you gotten any sort of cravings yet, for something specific?" He asked, wondering if her pregnancy cravings were something obscure, or something easy to come back or . . . non existent. He wanted to know as much as he could about this, and they still had yet to look at the ultrasound picture together, but that could be for after dinner. He also had to find the right moment to tell her what he'd told his father . . . and was starting to feel guilty for he knew she was tired and would probably want to rest after this. Still. Wouldn't it be worse to tell her tomorrow with less time to mentally prepare for it?

[Guinevère]

Arthur spoke of eating there again if it tasted as good as it smelled, and Guinevère laughed softly, then he asked something else and she paused. Looking at him she kept smiling, liking that he asked these things. "Have you gotten any sort of cravings yet, for something specific?" Cravings. For him she's had a few, but he was talking about food! So deciding to stick to the topic, Guinevère blushes and looked down.

"Mostly for whatever is before me. Though sometimes I will random think of a food, and feel like I have to have it right that moment. Fruit. Mostly it's with fruit. Something wet like apples, or other really juicy fruits. Which is good because they are healthy, but bad because of all the acid." But knew not to over eat them, so everything worked out. "Though there is one thing that I think about all the time. Sometimes I dream about it. Sometimes I uncontrollably will just seek it out and needed it right them." Yes she was playing with him. For her voice and eyes suggested one thing, and her next words would be another. "Warm apple cider."

[Arthur Pendragon]

Fruit. That wasn't too obscure or random of a craving. And the fact that she knew not to have too many because of the acids, meant that she was keeping track of how many she was having . . . and that she was well taking care of herself. "That's a good craving. Easy to come by," he said, glad it wasn't something so random that was hard to achieve. Then whens he spoke of one thing in particular, something that she dreamed about . . . Arthur -- being the typical man -- thought of the very thing that she seemed to be encouraging him to think of. He slightly raised an eye brow, as she now had his full intention, intrigued at where it was going and what could come of it and -- "Warm apple cider." It took Arthur a second before the words processed in his mind, and then just chuckled at how she seemed to be teasing him in leading him to think other thoughts.

Less . . . food based thoughts, but still ones revolving around appetite. Just one of a different kind. "I'll have to keep that in mind. Wouldn't want your craving to go unsatisfied," he said, returning the tease. He was glad for this; this extremely casual mood. Its how things always started with them and he prayed that the news about his father, and about their mock engagement would not create too much tension. After having arranged her plate for her, with spaghetti, salad and some bread sticks, he passed it to her before arranging his own plate. "What are your plans for tomorrow?" He asked, as casually as he could but of course . . . there was a specific reason he was asking. He knew he couldn't avoid the subject forever and did not want to keep her up too late after dinner. For she must be exhausted and needed her rest.

[Guinevère]

"I'll have to keep that in mind. Wouldn't want your craving to go unsatisfied," Guinevère blushed, knowing what he meant even though they were talking in double meanings. "I doubt anyone could claim that of you." She teased, knowing her face was blushing bright red. Or with her skin coloring it would at least come off a soft pink but still it could not be flattering on anyone.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Guinevère thought he was teasing her still, testing her to see if she remembered. Laughing and going along with their jovial mood, Guinevère tease right back. "I think there doctor is going to force me to spend the day at home with him. Maybe I can talk him into grading some papers while we watch bad TV, and spend the whole day ignoring the bad TV."

"Make him get alone with my pet."

[Arthur Pendragon]

"I doubt anyone could claim that of you." Arthur gave a playfully smug grin at her words . . . knowing that his actions had been a bit intense. Enough to press her against a tree, or break her table or any other unexpected time. "I'm glad you think so," he said with a small wink, enjoying the way such a topic brought a blush to her cheeks. He then listened to her answer, keeping a smile on his lips at the thought of spending a day with her. "Grading papers?" He questioned, knowing that he would be absolute rubbish at that. "I say give them all A's and tell them you were in a good mood while marking them," he concluded. And based on these words . . . she probably wouldn't let him near one of her papers to ever grade them. The comment about being alone with her pet made him make an exaggerated expression of fear as he glanced around for the creature.

"While I do enjoy spending the day with you, I'm not sure I'd like to spend it alone with Lucifer." He'd much rather her be there, and Lucifer be someone a million miles away. But the former seemed more possible than the latter. Knowing he couldn't quite avoid it any longer, he decided to present the subject, though wanted to do so in a way that would not make her feel pressured. Besides, the more dramatic he made it, the more he would stress them both out. "My father wants to have dinner with us tomorrow night," he said casually, as he watched her carefully for her reaction. He didn't want her to feel forced to say yes, especially with what had just happened. "If you're not up for it, we don't have to go," he added, so that she could have the option to back out of it. Since, as she had told him before, his father terrified her.

[Guinevère]

"I say give them all A's and tell them you were in a good mood while marking them," She laughed at his words, and played back with him, "You can grade papers, or can find a leash and ask you to walk Lucifer. . . Have you ever walked a ferret on a leash? If not then you really must!" She encouraged, "And let me film it. You could win a thousand pounds if we send it in to the Funniest Videos show." Because walking a ferret was imposable! He became that creature of Lord Of The Rings, 'It burns!' it would seem like the was saying.

And he would roll over and pretend to be dying. "My father wants to have dinner with us tomorrow night," And suddenly she could relate to her pet ferret. Her smiled faded quickly, and all joking ended. His father. The scary man from the ER. She didn't want to have dinner with him, but knew that saying so would only be putting off the . . . . dinner with a devil.

Arthur might had her pet, but she was afraid of his father. "Is he mad at me?" She asked softly, not looking at Arthur, and not taking another bit of her food. Her belly felt tight and suddenly she was not hungry any more.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Grade papers or get a leash and walk Lucifer . . . definitely grade papers. He didn't trust that thing out there where he would be probably running every which direction that Arthur couldn't control. Even though his two dogs were huge, they were loyal to their master. Lucifer on the other hand hated Arthur, and he didn't trust the ferret out there in the world. He was trying to minimize the time he spent with him in Guinevère's home. But Arthur did not respond to the suggestion, for he had brought up the topic of his father, and though he had tried to do so casually . . . he could see that it effected her. "Is he mad at me?" He didn't want to lie but he didn't want to scare her either. "He thinks you're lying about who the father is," Arthur told her honestly. "Its nothing personal," he added, not wanting her to think that she had done something to give him cause that she was lying.

"It's just the way he is. He's very . . . disapproving of my lifestyle. And so when a woman claims to be carrying my child, he grows easily skeptical, as his first thought is that they are trying to exploit the Pendragon name." For money and power. "He wants to have dinner with us to see what you're like. But like I said, if you're not up for it, then don't feel obligated to go. If you do want to, then I promise I'll try to make it as quick and painless as possible." Though surgery without anesthesia was probably less painful than dinner with his father.

[Guinevère]

It might not be personal to him, but it was to her. This was her life and her child and . . . wait. What?! "--a woman claims to be carrying my child," When a woman? Not when she had. "--he grows--" As in it's happened before? "--they--" As in it's happened before?! Guinevère could only stare at him, trying to decide if his words were in general of it this has happened before. He had an OGBYN on speed dial in his office and at the time she had made a mental joke but . . .

It had happened before?! She wanted to ask, but her mind was sort of slowing and turning and she wasn't even sure how to ask that. "So he normally reacts this way when a woman claims she carries your child?" She asked slowly, trying to stay clam but very worried for his next few words. No wonder the father was angry if this was typical, yet she had not thought Arthur was like that. Was she misunderstanding him . . . . or had this happened before?!

[Arthur Pendragon]

"So he normally reacts this way when a woman claims she carries your child?" . . . He probably shouldn't have made it sound like this was an every day occurrence. 'Sort of. I mean, it doesn't happen all the time or anything," he quickly added. That didn't mean that it had not happened at least once before . . . but that wasn't because she wanted to extort money from him. It was for very different reasons, ones that he was not even going to bother going into. "He's just warned me about it. Keeps telling me that I'll lose focus on my job and such. That's his biggest concern, that my career will suffer." Which it wouldn't. So many doctors had families. While he heard that it was not easy to be married to one -- especially during their residency -- they still managed. "I told him that you're not taking a paternity test. So he wants to find out as much as he can about you, starting with dinner." He wanted Guinevère to know that while his father may not believe her, that he believed her.

That he would support her if she needed it because . . . well, he had no doubts in what she was saying. Not about his being her first and only, and none about who the baby daddy was. He saw the concern and worry in her face and felt horrible for springing this on her when she had just gotten into such a serious accident. Reaching over he put his hand over her smaller one. "It's alright," he said in a reassuring voice. "He likes to intimidate people. But don't let him get to you. You'll be alright." And he knew that Guinevère was a strong and independent woman. "Plus, I'll be there every second." He wouldn't even leave the room if his phone went off. He was not going to leave her in the dragon's den.

[Guinevère]

"Sort of." Sort of?! Guinevère put her plate down, and sat back on the couch, her arms resting over her belly. Sort of?! "I mean, it doesn't happen all the time or anything," Sort of!? This wasn't the question you answered Sort Of too! If someone had pretended to have her child--and lied, or not lied--it would be more then a sort of answer when someone asked the question! How many?! Who?! Were they really . . . where they really carrying his . . .

Don't cry! She mentally warned her self, knowing her hormones were about to make her go mad in a moment. "Arthur," She said in a very clam voice, and was rather surprised and proud of it. "What do you meant when you say sort of?" She knew he was her first but she also knew she was not his. Guinevère was now more aware of that then before, and she was left wondering what other girls had gone in to face his father, and came out crying.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur watched her carefully as she set the plate of food down. Was she, upset? Angry? . . . Hurt by something? If she really didn't want to have dinner with his father then he hoped she felt comfortable enough to say no. "What do you mean when you say sort of?" But that didn't seem to be what she was questioning. He seldom ever talked about past 'relationships' -- if they could even be called that, and he wasn't sure he wanted to delve into it now. Although, he did want to be honest with her . . . though knew that some things were better left unsaid. For they were not important. Compared to the bigger picture, they were completely unimportant. He paused, trying to think of the appropriate response to give, wondering how much detail she wanted -- and hoped it wasn't a lot.

"I just mean that you wouldn't be the first woman who's been accused of lying to get money out of the Pendragon accounts. Or who's lied for whatever other ulterior motives." Did that sound right? He hoped so. He didn't know how much more depth she wanted to know. "It doesn't really matter," he added, not wanting this particular subject to ruin their meal. If anything, he thought it would have been the topic of his father . . . but he could understand Guinevère's concerns. It was probably just making her all the more nervous to meet his father. "I know you're not lying, or trying to extort money from me. You made that pretty clear," he said smiling, his voice filled with a playfully teasing tone so that she would know he didn't see her like that. He never had, not even before she had made mention of it.

[Guinevère]

Not the first. Not it would appear not. She was not his in any aspect of his life, and apart of her wished there was something she could give him first. "Your being very ambiguous. Is it because you do not wish to tell me, or are there so many you cannot name?" One would think that this sort of claim only happened once--or twice--in a man's life but Arthur seemed to think of in terms of groups rather then a few.

She knew they were from different worlds but . . . . many? Had many people done this? Arthur had at least made sure that he repeated that he knew she wasn't lying. "Why would you pick me to believe with out proof?" A girl he knew nothing about. Should she offer proof? Not now, but when the baby was born, she could offer the DNA test results. Give them to both men for their peace of mind. While Guinevère had no doubts, she didn't want either of them to have them if that was something a test could do. When the test was safe.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Had her tone been any different, he would have thought it sounded bitter. That there had been so many women, that he couldn't name them all . . . when it hadn't been that at all. "Its not that their so many . . . its just that," Arthur wasn't sure how to finish that thought. He seldom ever spoke of women in his past. Especially to the current women he had gotten pregnant. "Why are you so curious to know?" He asked, wondering what her interest was in this. She wouldn't have to worry about it, because he believed her. Though her next question, addressed her curiosity as to why he believed her. He paused in thought for a moment, unsure how to explain that answer either. "Well first off, if you were faking a pregnancy, it wouldn't have taken you four months to come to me," he said with teasing in his voice, making it clear in his tone that he wasn't angry or upset she had waited so long. It was one of those things that he could easily tease about.

Because he'd not been angered by her withholding the information. In fact, her reason for not telling him sooner was totally understandable. He had patients before who never told the fathers that they were pregnant, or that they even had the baby. He was aware that she might be expecting a more serious answer though . . . so he would have to do his best to explain it. "There was something about you . . . " That sounded too intimate. "Something about the way you were, the way you told me," he continued, as casually as he could, though strangely comfortable with trying to vocalize how he felt with her. Something that was a huge rarity for him. "There was an undeniable sincerity." Just as there was a strong sincerity and genuineness in her. One of the many qualities that had initially attracted him to her.

[Guinevère]

"Why are you so curious to know?" He asked and she wondered how he could not wonder why she would want to know! The fact that he seemed to be hiding it, and not wanting to tell her how many was frightening! She wondered how large the number was?! Arthur had at least told her why he believed her, speaking of their being something about her. She wondered what that meant, but didn't speak up on it. She would rather know how many, or the details of even one of these girls and their tricks . . . .

Yet . . . .

What real right did she have to push into his life more then he would allow? Arthur was practically a prince in his world. Not real royalty but there were not many above him. Watching him, Guinevère wondered how far to push. In the end, her eyes lowered and she adjusted her seat, so she was curled on the side of the couch. Reaching for her plate, she knew she wasn't hungry, but it felt better to have something in her hands. "What should I wear to your father's tomorrow?' She offered for the change of subject, not wishing to fight with him or push. "What time would we go?"

[Arthur Pendragon]

Both her questions were valid ones, and Arthur knew that he still had yet to tell her of the other part of what he'd told his father. For he knew that it was something she would need to know before tomorrow came. "Probably something a bit formal," he told her, knowing that these kinds of dinners with his father were more of a formal dress code. "And I can pick you up around six, if that works for you?" He would adjust the time to Guinevère's convenience, just in case. Arthur paused, looking at the food in his fork, trying to think of the best way to tell her this next bit. Would she be offended? Angry? Feeling uncomfortable with the lie? "I also told him that . . . " He paused, knowing there was no easier way to say this.

"That we're engaged." It was only after he spoke the words that he slowly raised his gaze to her to see her reaction. He didn't like lying to his father, especially about something so significant. At the same time, what choice did he have? His father had already yelled at her enough, and he didn't want to make things worse as the moment. Not that this was going to make anything better. It would at least make the evening tomorrow more bearable if nothing else. He only hoped he didn't put her in too uncomfortable a situation by telling his father this without checking with her first. And would of course understand if she wanted nothing to do with this lie . . . which was why he was waiting to see what her reaction would be to it.

[Guinevère]

"Probably something a bit formal," Formal. Formal wear to meet the man who was used to woman trying to get to his money. Dress casual then? Enough to look nice without trying too hard? Maybe a simple dress? And shoes. She would need to find her good pair of low heeled shoes. "And I can pick you up around six, if that works for you?" "That's fine," She told him, still a bit spinning from the knowlage that women had tired to tell him they carried his child before. Women. Not woman, but the plural of the word.

"I also told him that . . . " As in more then one. How many? He had so easily believed her when others as not be honest? Did he had that much faith in her, or had he just reacted this way with all women? Surely not! He didn't seem the type. "That we're engaged." Turning her head softly she looked up at him, waiting for the end of his statement. "Engaged to do what?"