Coming Home

Chapter 2

AN: TW for drug use. I will italicize the section it's in.

Arthur was bubbling with questions as we walked into the small house I had built. 'Why is it doing that?'  'Is it magic? ' 'What happened to your magic? ' 'Is it gone? Do you still have it? ' 'How does this work? ' 'Just one push will instantly make food?' 'How does this lever connect to that light? '

I, on the other hand, was not in the mood for questions. Yes, I had missed him greatly, but was it really that hard for him to just shut up for a few minutes while I showed him around?

Eventually, the questions stopped and the tour was finished.

"Come on, Arthur, I've got to show you the basics of this new world. It's not like Camelot."

"Why? It shouldn't matter if I follow the new world."

"Yes, I know, Arthur, but there are some basic things that you should probably know before heading out in the modern world. First being that electricity is not magic. So when you see a light turn on, a car start to run, almost everything in the new world, don't start screaming "Sorcery!""

"That was my father. Not me."

"Arthur! Just shut up and listen please!"

+=+=+=+=+

The first challenge was getting this stupid cabbage head to understand that the world had changed, that things like honor, and a knight's word were no longer as valued as they had been in Camelot's time. He was upset, to say the least.

"What do you mean? How can they not value the honor behind keeping one's word?"

"Arthur, I mean exactly that. People are skeptical these days. They don't trust as easily even if the other party is in a position of authority. A lot of things have happened while you were gone. The world's a different place."

"But honor, and the knight's code? What is wrong with these people if they do not value the honor of each other and themselves?"

"Arthur. Please. Maybe I should just buy you a bunch of books on the history of everything's that happened since you died."

"Would I be able to understand them?"

"I don't know! Language has changed but it uses the same roots and stuff as Camelot."

Yeah... I was getting grumpy. I hadn't watched blood drip from my arms or felt the cool liquid run through my veins since this morning while I was waiting for him. Withdrawal would come soon and if I didn't find a way to escape him, he'd find out even with his horrible observational skills.

Yea. Let's just get him the books.

"Arthur! Come on. Change into some of the clothes in your closet. We're gonna go shopping for books so you can educate yourself."

He mumbled from his room where he had retreated to familiarize himself with the house and came out wearing a red v-neck t-shirt and some jeans.

"Merlin, we're going to need different pants. These are way too tight." I looked and they weren't. But then again, his clothes from Camelot were meant more for increasing range of motion and not so much as style.

I sighed. "Come on you prat. I'm taking you to the bookstore so you can meet my employer and find books to teach you about this world. Then, I'm making the stupid decision to leave you here while I go pick up some things that you might like."

+=+=+=+=+

I walked into the bookstore and was instantly greeted by a black haired lady.

"Hello, Merlin!" she said cheerily. "Who's your friend?"

"Cynthia, this is Arthur. Arthur, this is Cynthia, my boss." Arthur, thank the gods, was polite and not confused at her offer for a hand shake. Though, I don't think Cynthia expected the forearm grasp that was so common in Camelot. Not a problem though. Cynthia was used to all kinds of weirdness and strange oddities.

"Cynthia, I'm just gonna show him to the non-fiction section. He's rather interested in a broad variety of topics."

"Alright. Just be careful. I think the screws have come loose on some of these bookcases."

"Thanks!" And with that, we headed to the back of the store.

"Arthur, just pick out some books on history, maybe science, and if you want, maybe some about pop culture." He wandered off and I went to the storage room where old, ancient books were. They weren't on display but if you knew what you wanted, Cynthia offered them at a high price. They were hard to come by, after all. I searched through the ancient tomes looking for something that would remind me of long nights with Gaius researching for something that might help us.

Cynthia came into the storage room, "Arthur's got an entire armload of books and is ready to pay if you're done looking through these books."

"Thank you. I'll be out in a moment."

I paid for the books and walked with Arthur out the door.

+=+=+=+=+

I left Arthur at the house in his room and prepared some food for him in the kitchen. God knows how much he eats.

I walked across the street to my apartment. 'I'm here for Arthur's belongings,' I thought to myself. But I knew it wasn't true. I needed something. God. The drugs. Oh gods above. I knew I shouldn't. But I also knew what withdrawal was like and there was no way that I was going to experience it again, let alone when Arthur was here. 

I grabbed Arthur's cloak and Gwen's ring. I had kept it along with the seal and their crowns. Though I wouldn't be bringing those back. 

I passed the safe on the way out the door and knew instantly that no matter how much I tried to resist, I would never be able to get free from it. But part of me didn't want to.

I grabbed my keys out of my pocket and quickly located the correct one. I unlocked the safe and pulled out a spoon, a syringe, and the drugs. Mixing it on the spoon, I pulled a lighter out of my pocket and began to heat it. Once I was satisfied, I poured it in the syringe with some water I created. I put the syringe down as I grabbed a length of fabric from the safe. I tied it around my arm and slipped the needle into a vein, pushing the plunger down. I cleaned off my supplies and put them back into the safe while grabbing my pocket knife.

+=+=+=+=+

An evil smirk flickered across her face. She was free.

She walked across the grass, looking around at her surroundings, the hunter in her picking up every little movement.

She'd have to set up camp. Something simple, yet discreet. She couldn't let anyone know she was here. It would ruin her plans.