The Strength of England

~2~

"Oh, my bloody head." Arthur moaned, "Never will I drink again."

"Uh-huh, sure you won't, you said that last week when they dragged your drunk ass home." Connor said across the table.

Arthur just glared at him, mentally begging the light to go away. He wasn't wrong. Arthur had the lovely habit of going to the pub and getting farther into his drink than he planned and when the bartender knows he's had enough, they take him home or to Carine's. Like now, he sat in his sister's kitchen, waiting for the lecture of how bad he's a drunk and such. It was a never fail from her really. He understood she cared and worried, they all did for each other, it's the same reason they keep in contact with Logan and Jett as well. They were all quite tight with one another, although there were times he felt like the black sheep of the herd.

The damningly loud crashing and banging of a metal spoon hitting a pot blasted through Arthur's head, making him cringe and nauseous all at once. Only one source for that.

"We'll, I see we're up and at 'em already. So, Artie, need to say anything for yourself or do I have to kick you one?"

"He already said he wasn't drinking again." Connor announced, never having the paper leave his hands.

"HA! We all know that's a downright lie." Carine scolded "You and Al are always getting your asses in trouble when it comes to the bottle."

"Do we really need this lesson again Carine?" Arthur asked, hoping it would deter her away.

"What, sick of me speaking?" she asked.

Before Arthur could say anything, she twisted his ear, the same way she did when he was a kid. "Christ, that bloody hurt Carine!"

"Maybe I'll get through to you then. Quit the late-night drinking and having people bring you home."

"Eh? Why not? Can't really live unless your liver is half dead." he heard Al speak from the door.

"Oi, not you too?" she complained as Allister placed a bottle of Scotch on the table.

"Ya have a hangover, little brother?" he asked Arthur. "The best way to clear it up, is with more drink. Open up."

"Don't!" the twins shouted at him.

"For all that's Holy Allister, Arthur doesn't need any more." Conner said.

"Aye, he's right. We don't need him worse off than last night as the nice lass brought him home."

"Lass?!" Arthur turned to face his sister, "What woman?"

Allister howled in laughter as he left the room, "Little Artie had to have the girl scouts bring him home, that be classic."

"Connor, throttle him before I do." Carine warned.

Conner got up and followed the drunken Scot as she sat down beside Arthur, "Yes a woman brought you home. You must've done something to her."

His eyes widened in fear, did he really get that drunk and have his way with her.

"Oh, dear heaven's no, not that Artie. She was a nurse and saw how much you had and brought you home after you coldcocked a man out. Joel said it was a pretty good one too." she explained.

Arthur tried to think of what happened last night. He remembered heading in after the worthless meeting that got nowhere with anyone, ordering his usual, sitting and thinking and drinking the night away like before, the angel he swore he...angel.

"Carine, what did I do last night?"

"According to Joel, there was a drunkard in the bar. He got a little fresh with a woman there and took her off her seat. The moment it happened you were there warning him. Once he opened his mouth and refused to let her go you knocked him out cold. After that she paid your tab and brought you home."