Babysitting the Countries

Better Left Forgotten

        You hung up and dropped the phone beside you. The kids would be there for over a week? This was too much. The longest they've ever stayed over was three days. They would probably be here for about nine. With a groan, you dragged yourself out of your room and downstairs to find that Matthew and Alfred had fallen asleep. The other two were sitting on the floor, arguing like they usually do. Those two were really close. No matter how much they argued, they still stayed side by side. It was actually difficult separating the two most of the time. It was the same with the brothers sleeping on the couch. The thought of all of them not being together in the future made you sigh. It was such a shame. They looked so adorable when they were together. You took some more pictures of them since they weren't paying you any attention. Eventually, the boys fell asleep on the floor side by side. Now that they were sleeping you had some time to think. It was, however, one of your least favorite pastimes. It always went back to memories of the past. Memories that are better left forgotten, many because the children in front of the TV were still just that, children. Instead, you grabbed a book. Those memories were not welcomed here.
You went with a book you read long ago. It's story was actually quite similar to yours in some ways. Some kids go into the past and go on some magical adventures. The only differences is that they return to their time. (Kind of sounds like Time Warp Trio.... Anyone remember that? Anyone at all....?) You didn't get to return. Arthur never told you how to, and you never bothered with trying to learn how. They probably forgot you in the future anyway, so it didn't matter. Sighing, the book was placed on the table. You still remembered the hurt look on his face when you yelled at him, the fear in his eyes when he saw that his apprentice was disappearing. And who was to blame for all of that? There was so much that was better for you to forget, but maybe this was how things were supposed to happen. Maybe, just maybe, you were meant to fall this far back in time. Was that why the brothers were so close to you in the future? You recalled having a photo album in the future as well. It could be filled with the pictures you've been taking since you started caring for them. Still, it hurt. Seeing how peaceful they were and knowing they wouldn't be quite as close later. Knowing how much pain you put Arthur through. No matter how much time altering you did he would never forget that. Just like you'd never forget. The wood in the fireplace split and crackled. The boys were laying around it quietly, their sleeping faces illuminated by the fire. Everything was so calm now. So calm and quiet.... But you wanted your old life back. The always chaotic, loud, crazy, magical life that was lost. You knew it would be a while. You knew, but it could wait. You made yourself a cup of tea, the same tea you had when you first got here. But this time, you actually finished the tea before falling asleep.