Arthur didn’t want to remember the assault so he hadn’t been thinking about it. He didn’t want a killer on the loose either though, so he tried now. He could remember coming back from the business meeting with several important professors in Bath. He remembered going to the bus stop afterwards and longing to get home and get in bed with a good book. He could remember getting on the bus though he hadn’t paid much attention to the driver or anyone else in the line of people waiting for the National Express. He’d gotten a window seat around the middle of the bus. There had been rain dripping down the windowpanes and through the glass, he remembered seeing silhouettes of people and their clothes, but everything had been blurry – obstructed by the rain and umbrellas and coats with their hoods pulled up. There had been more people who walked past him and who sat down in front of him, but they were only patterned coats and scarves to Arthur – he couldn’t remember anyone clearly—
“Hey! What are you guys doing?”
Arthur jerked out of his contemplation to see Alfred standing and glaring down DCI Gilbert Beilschmidt.
“And who are you, huh?” Gilbert demanded.
“I’m Arthur’s—friend,” Alfred said. “Were they doing anything to you?” he asked Arthur, ignoring Gilbert.
“You can’t just come in here like that! We’re police, see this badge? D. C. I. Gilbert. Beilschmidt,” Gilbert said, jabbing a finger at his badge. “And we can question him,” he jabbed a finger at Arthur. “However we want.”
“That’s police brutality and it’s illegal,” Alfred said just as stubbornly and jabbed one of his fingers at Gilbert’s badge. “I could have you reported and suspended for mistreatment.”
“Hah! As if!” Gilbert said. “If—”
“Order!” Ludwig shouted.
Gilbert and Alfred both turned toward him, surprised.
“First, we will question the witness in an orderly manner,” Ludwig glared at Gilbert. “And we will not have interruptions.” He glared at Alfred. “Agreed?”
Alfred glared at Ludwig and then Gilbert. “I’ll be outside,” he said to Arthur. “Holler if you need me.”
Then he stalked out.
“Who’s that pissy guy? Your boyfriend?” Gilbert asked.
“No he isn’t and isn’t there a rule against inappropriate questions?” Arthur demanded, although he was feeling ridiculously elated that Alfred was ready to go against even the police for him.
“Brother,” Ludwig said sternly.
“Fine, fine, West.” Gilbert held up his hands in mock submission.
“Think. Is there anything you could tell us? Anything you can remember?” Ludwig asked again.
Arthur tried to think again but it was difficult with Gilbert pacing the room and Ludwig staring at him so intensely. He was tired and mostly he just wanted to have Alfred in here and the policemen out.
Ludwig sighed. “We’ll continue this at another time. If you remember anything…”
“I’ll let you know,” Arthur said, relieved as Ludwig all but shoved his rude brother out the door.
Alfred, as promised, was in as soon as they had left. “Hey, are you all right? Remember anything?” Alfred asked as he dropped into the chair next to Arthur’s bed.
He looked worried as he reached for Arthur’s hand and it took all of Arthur’s strength not to jump when Alfred’s fingers closed around his, warm and big.
Arthur shook his head, throat suddenly dry as Alfred rubbed circles into Arthur’s palm with his thumb. Alfred didn’t seem to even notice he was doing it. “I—“ Arthur swallowed. “I can’t remember anything,” he said. “It was…it was just blurry.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” Alfred said. “You don’t have to remember any of that bad stuff,” he said.
“I do,” Arthur said. “If I could help catch the killer…”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” Alfred said, his blue eyes sincere and sweet.
But Arthur would be checking out in just a few days now, and he had no idea if he would even see Alfred like this after that. Arthur had to know just what was happening between them because he liked Alfred a lot even if this was a little like getting to know him again after nearly six years of silence.
“Alfred,” Arthur began and swallowed. “We… why are you doing this?” he asked.
“What?” Alfred blinked.
“Being—coming here and visiting me and everything,” Arthur said. “Back then, didn’t you ha—hate me?”
Forever Mine 2b/?
“Hey! What are you guys doing?”
Arthur jerked out of his contemplation to see Alfred standing and glaring down DCI Gilbert Beilschmidt.
“And who are you, huh?” Gilbert demanded.
“I’m Arthur’s—friend,” Alfred said. “Were they doing anything to you?” he asked Arthur, ignoring Gilbert.
“You can’t just come in here like that! We’re police, see this badge? D. C. I. Gilbert. Beilschmidt,” Gilbert said, jabbing a finger at his badge. “And we can question him,” he jabbed a finger at Arthur. “However we want.”
“That’s police brutality and it’s illegal,” Alfred said just as stubbornly and jabbed one of his fingers at Gilbert’s badge. “I could have you reported and suspended for mistreatment.”
“Hah! As if!” Gilbert said. “If—”
“Order!” Ludwig shouted.
Gilbert and Alfred both turned toward him, surprised.
“First, we will question the witness in an orderly manner,” Ludwig glared at Gilbert. “And we will not have interruptions.” He glared at Alfred. “Agreed?”
Alfred glared at Ludwig and then Gilbert. “I’ll be outside,” he said to Arthur. “Holler if you need me.”
Then he stalked out.
“Who’s that pissy guy? Your boyfriend?” Gilbert asked.
“No he isn’t and isn’t there a rule against inappropriate questions?” Arthur demanded, although he was feeling ridiculously elated that Alfred was ready to go against even the police for him.
“Brother,” Ludwig said sternly.
“Fine, fine, West.” Gilbert held up his hands in mock submission.
“Think. Is there anything you could tell us? Anything you can remember?” Ludwig asked again.
Arthur tried to think again but it was difficult with Gilbert pacing the room and Ludwig staring at him so intensely. He was tired and mostly he just wanted to have Alfred in here and the policemen out.
Ludwig sighed. “We’ll continue this at another time. If you remember anything…”
“I’ll let you know,” Arthur said, relieved as Ludwig all but shoved his rude brother out the door.
Alfred, as promised, was in as soon as they had left. “Hey, are you all right? Remember anything?” Alfred asked as he dropped into the chair next to Arthur’s bed.
He looked worried as he reached for Arthur’s hand and it took all of Arthur’s strength not to jump when Alfred’s fingers closed around his, warm and big.
Arthur shook his head, throat suddenly dry as Alfred rubbed circles into Arthur’s palm with his thumb. Alfred didn’t seem to even notice he was doing it. “I—“ Arthur swallowed. “I can’t remember anything,” he said. “It was…it was just blurry.”
“Hey, it’s okay,” Alfred said. “You don’t have to remember any of that bad stuff,” he said.
“I do,” Arthur said. “If I could help catch the killer…”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” Alfred said, his blue eyes sincere and sweet.
But Arthur would be checking out in just a few days now, and he had no idea if he would even see Alfred like this after that. Arthur had to know just what was happening between them because he liked Alfred a lot even if this was a little like getting to know him again after nearly six years of silence.
“Alfred,” Arthur began and swallowed. “We… why are you doing this?” he asked.
“What?” Alfred blinked.
“Being—coming here and visiting me and everything,” Arthur said. “Back then, didn’t you ha—hate me?”