Welcome to my new story! It's A/G, which is a departure for me, but came off quite nicely. Many thanks to the mods of reel_merlin and to my beta, MonJoh, who is a superstar!

Arthur Pendragon had it all. A flat overlooking the Thames, a job he excelled at, great health, and a wonderful woman he intended to make his fiancée. He glanced at his watch to decide if he had time for a long breakfast this morning and decided he didn't. He grabbed a cup of yogurt and wolfed it down while he stood at the counter.

He saw his motorcycle helmet sitting there and briefly considered taking it before thunder boomed, reminding him of the pouring rain outside. Leaving the helmet on the counter, he exited the flat and made his way to the bottom floor where he was soon out in the rain.

His mobile rang before he'd taken two steps into the miserable weather. It was Percy, one of his workers, wanting to know the particulars of a trade that had been proposed. He asked whether the matter could wait until he was in the office, but was told the other party was on his other line. So Arthur walked and talked as he dodged other walkers, narrowly escaping being run over by a cyclist.

After several minutes of walking, he looked across the street and noticed a cab. Seeing the road as clear, he walked into it to hail the cab. Just as he called out, an engine noise caught his attention. Turning, he noticed a motorcycle bearing down on him. There was no time to dodge out of the way, and his world faded into a painful black as a scream and the screeching of brakes reached his ears.

xxxXxxx

Two years later

Guinevere Smith (just Gwen, thank you) had lived in the same small, picturesque town her entire twenty-six years. She'd held the same job for six of those years, at a small café called The Buttered Bun. She lived with her family: parents Tom and Jennie, and her brother Elyan. Life was simple but stressful as they struggled to make ends meet. Jennie stayed at home while the other three worked as much as they could. Tom had recently been laid off though, so now their lives were even more stressful.

Gwen was well-liked by young and old at work, kind and generous to a fault. That was why, after one typical day of work, she was surprised when Harvey, the owner of the shop, twisted the sign to Closed early. He held out an envelope, which she took as if it might explode. "I'm sorry," he explained, "this contains a month's salary. Should get you by until you can find another job."

"Thank you," she told him and turned away to get her coat and other belongings from the back. Dejected, she walked home.

"Laid off?" Jennie said. "What will we do now? Elyan won't be able to get more hours at the shop."

"Gwen's a good worker; I'm sure something will come up," Elyan defended. She shot him a grateful smile and took her place at the dinner table.

Conversation at the table centered on her joblessness. Gwen felt bad enough without all the talk, but at least Tom and Elyan spoke up for her when they could. As soon as it was polite, she excused herself to her room for the night, resolved to visit the Job Center tomorrow.

xxxXxxx

Gwen woke in the morning, anticipating her workday then she remembered she had no job. She groaned and put a pillow over her head, dreading visiting the Job Center. And then there was her family. She couldn't disappoint them—they needed her to provide a steady salary.

The family breakfast stayed calm. Not one comment from her mother about the job situation. Tom must have had a good talk with Jennie last night. Gwen appreciated this. By the time she had to leave for the Job Center, she was feeling a lot better about her prospects.

On the way there, she called her boyfriend, Lance, to tell him her situation. Lance was a fitness nut as well as personal trainer and life coach. She knew he'd have plenty of uplifting advice for her, which is why she hadn't called him earlier. She didn't think she could take his positive attitude. They arranged to meet later in the day and rung off.

Gwen expected the Job Center to be a bleary place, but she was pleasantly surprised to see cheerful décor and plenty of light. She waited patiently to be seen and planned her next few days of outfits.

Once she was registered, she was told she'd receive a call when something suitable for her came up. She was to come in and receive the details from one of the counselors. Gwen thanked the woman and left, feeling a more steady than when she'd come in.

Now lunchtime, she went to meet Lance at the track where he ran laps. The man always went for a run at lunchtime, followed by a healthy meal. Gwen privately thought his idea of a meal looked like rabbit food, but she didn't judge. Over the six years of their dating life, Lance had trimmed his couch-potato self into a lean young entrepreneur. Clearly something was going right for him.

Gwen sat at one of the benches surrounding the track and waited for Lance to run around to her. "How did it go at the Job Center?" he asked.

"Better than I thought. They were very nice there."

"Must be a different place then. When I was last there, it was miserable."

"Lance, the last time you were there was five years ago. Of course it's changed since."

They both laughed at that. "Come run with me. I've only a couple laps left."

She got up obediently and began running behind him. He turned to jog backwards, encouraging her to keep pace. She was glad she wore her sensible shoes today, but even with those she couldn't keep up long. Finally she begged off and sat down again, waiting for him to finish.

They went to the closest pub for lunch, where Lance had his usual salad while Gwen ordered a burger. She couldn't quite keep up with Lance's meal plan but he luckily never criticized her food intake.

After lunch they parted ways and Gwen headed for home. She wasn't looking forward to an afternoon at home, but where else did she have to go? So walk on she did, eventually reaching home.

The next morning, Gwen went through her wardrobe of fashion choices, trying to decide what to wear for another day of unemployment. Fashion had been one of her deepest and most abiding loves, and she'd even been admitted to a course at a nearby university to study it. It was then Tom's chronic joblessness had struck and she resigned herself to working to support her family. But her wardrobe was filled with vintage pieces of clothing that she loved and wore no matter what anyone thought of them.

She finally chose a navy blue dress and put it on, then turned her attention to her curly hair. It often refused to behave, so she usually wound up wearing it back to keep out of the way. She'd just pulled it to the side when her phone rang.

It was a counselor at the Job Center asking if she could please come in because they'd found a listing that fit her. After ringing off, she pulled at her hair a bit more and decided to leave it and go down to breakfast.

As they were eating, she explained she'd gotten a call already and would depart for the Job Center after she was done eating. Her parents congratulated her and Elyan gave her a quick hug. She felt better than she had since she'd lost her job and set out for the Job Center with a smile on her face.

Once there, she was called back to see the counselor who'd called her. The woman explained that the job was working as an assistant beautician at a local beauty shop. Gwen had never thought of doing anything like this before and agreed to give it a try. It was work and that was her most important consideration.

She reported to the shop that afternoon and was given in-depth instruction about the things she'd be doing. At the end of the workday, she reported at home to the excitement of her family. Even her mother was genuinely pleased.

Gwen's job at the beauty shop lasted almost three whole days. She had an unfortunate accident with hot wax and a customer's eyebrow—she'd waxed the eyebrow off. So she returned home in disgrace to face her mother's disappointed looks. Tom and Elyan patted her on the back and told her she'd have better success at her next job.

Two days later, she got another call from the Job Center and again reported there. This new job was a stocker at one of the grocery stores in town. She didn't think this would be a particularly hard job since she just had to put items on shelves. The assistant manager of the store agreed, and gave her a quick orientation and overview of her duties.

She lasted five days at this job, until a display she'd concocted fell over and nearly tripped several customers. After cleaning the mess, she was told politely that she was no longer needed.

Gwen slunk home to face her disappointed family. By now they were all less sympathetic and could offer little comfort, especially Jennie. Her words hurt Gwen's tender heart and she ran up to her room right after dinner to weep. She just couldn't face them all any longer, knowing she'd failed not once but twice.

The next morning, Elyan snuck into her room. "Hey big sis," he said.

Startled, she uncovered her face and looked at him. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry about Mum. She's never learned there's such a thing as tact. Dad and I had a few more words with her after you left."

Gwen sat up. "Thanks."

"Hey, no problem. We siblings have to stay together, right?" He sat on the bed next to her.

"Elyan, I'm scared. What if I'm doomed to never hold a steady job again?"

"Remember when I dared you to get a job in less than twenty-four hours? You marched right into that café and got one. You can do this, Gwen. I believe in you."

Gwen threw her arms around her little brother. "You're so sweet."

"I work at it."

After he left, Gwen got up and ready to face the day. Elyan was right—she could do this. She wasn't going to wait for the Job Center to call again. She'd march over there after breakfast and see what they had available herself. No more waiting around for life to happen to her. She'd get a steady job if it killed her.

xxxXxxx

With pats on the back, Gwen set off to the Job Center. She had to wait since she wasn't expected, but that didn't matter. There had to be a new job out there waiting for her and she was going to excel at it.

When her counselor was finally free, Gwen sat in the chair opposite her, bouncing her knee. "Tell me there's something."

"I don't know that there's anything else so soon," the woman replied, "but I'll look." She typed into her computer and stared at the screen. "You've already tried beautician."

"Hot wax is not my friend."

"And stocking groceries."

"They didn't say I couldn't."

The counselor sighed. "Gwen, there's nothing—" Something pinged on her computer and she looked at it. "Huh, this just popped up. Care and companionship for a disabled man. They must be desperate; this is the fifth time I've seen this entry."

"What does it entail?"

"You'd drive and assist him with activities. It's a six-month contract and excellent money. No skills required. It's perfect for you."

Gwen shot the woman a look, but agreed. "How do I apply?"

The counselor turned on her printer and printed the details for Gwen. "You need to visit Pendragon manor at two-thirty this afternoon. You'll meet Igraine Pendragon, who will interview you."

"The Pendragons? Don't they own the castle?"

"They are the caretakers, yes. But anyway," she pulled the sheet from the printer and handed it to Gwen, "be on time. And wear something smart."

Gwen looked down at what she was wearing and frowned. "All right." She stood and reached out her hand. "Thanks for your help."

The counselor stood and shook her hand. "You're welcome. Just, please, get the job and keep it."

"I'll try my best." And with that, she left the Job Center and headed home to make yet another announcement to her family.

Jennie was thrilled with Gwen's news. She ushered her daughter upstairs to her room and rummaged around in her closet. She pulled out a blazer, blouse and skirt set that looked like it was last worn in nineteen eighty-three. Gwen grimaced but tried it on.

The blouse and blazer fit fine, but the skirt was tight and Gwen could only take small steps in it. But she decided she'd wear it anyway—apparently smart thirty years ago was still smart today.

Soon the time came to leave, and Gwen boarded the bus that would take her to the castle. She braced herself for the short ride. Once there, she walked to the gate that guarded the residence and rang a buzzer. The gate opened quickly and she made her way over to the main entrance of the manor.

Standing outside the entrance was a tall blonde woman. She looked down at the clipboard she held then back up at Gwen. "Miss Smith?"

"Yes."

"I'm Igraine Pendragon. Follow me please."

Gwen followed Mrs. Pendragon into the home and nearly gasped at the opulence. Obviously antique furniture was interspersed with modern pieces, giving the home a clean, elegant look. Soon the pair reached what could be called a living room and Gwen sat when invited to.

"Do you have any experience with healthcare?" Igraine asked.

"No."

"Do you have any experience with quadriplegia?"

"Quadri—what?"

Igraine frowned. "It means he is paralyzed from the chest down, excepting a little movement in his hands."

"Oh."

"Do you have any career aspirations?"

"Career?" Gwen shifted on the settee.

"Do you have any professional dreams?"

"No, no dreams."

Igraine studied her for a moment before asking, "Do you have anything to recommend you to this position?"

Gwen opened her mouth but nothing came out. She shrugged and smiled.

"Well I guess that's all I need to—"

"Wait. Please. I'm a fast learner, I'm never ill and I can make a mean cup of tea. I'll care for your husband—"

"Husband? The person we've been speaking of is my son."

Gwen caught her mouth from slipping open. "Oh, my mistake, I'm so sorry. I say the stupidest things when I'm nervous. You should see—"

"Would you like the job?"

Gwen stopped breathing for a moment. "Pardon?"

Igraine smiled. "Would you like the job?"

"Yes. Yes! Very much so."

"Good." She stood. "Let's go meet Arthur." A door opened into the room. "Oh, hello dear."

Gwen turned to see a tall, grey-haired man enter the room. "I see you have another interviewee," he said.

"Uther, this is Miss Gwen Smith. Gwen, this is my husband, Uther Pendragon."

Gwen stood and took Uther's hand to shake it. "Good to meet you, Mr. Pendragon."

"Likewise."

Igraine spoke up. "Gwen's agreed to take the job."

Uther smiled "Have you? Oh good. I think he may like you better than the others."

Igraine smacked his arm lightly. "Oh you. I'm sure he will. I was actually going to take her to meet Arthur now."

"Good. Well I've got to pop out, that's why I came by." He kissed her cheek. "Until later then. And Miss Smith? Good luck."

Gwen was puzzled by his remark but turned back to Igraine as Uther walked away.

"Well, shall we?" the older woman said. Gwen nodded and again followed Igraine through the house. "Your hours are eight to five, Monday through Saturday. Call if you'll be late and," she paused at a door, "don't leave him alone for longer than fifteen minutes."

Igraine opened the door. "This is the annex. We had it built after the accident two years ago." Gwen saw a large, open room that looked like it functioned as a kitchen, living room and dining room. She showed her the bathroom and Arthur's bedroom before standing in front of a room with sliding doors. "Are you ready for us?" she called out.

"He's decent, Mrs. P," said a voice inside the room.

Igraine opened the doors to reveal a sort of media room. Gwen saw speakers on the walls along with a large television and sofa. There, sitting directly across the room, was a handsome blonde man in a wheelchair. Although, she noted, he'd be more handsome if he shaved and had his hair cut. Standing at his side was a tall, dark-haired man.

"Gwen, this is Merlin," Igraine indicated the dark-haired man. "He's Arthur's nurse and physiotherapist."

Merlin stuck out his hand, which Gwen took. "Pleasure to meet you," he said.

"Likewise," she replied.

Igraine spoke up again. "And this is my son, Arthur."

Gwen stepped a little forward. "Hello, I'm Gwen Smith."

Arthur gave her a blank look before he screwed up his face and started making inhuman noises.. Uncertain, Gwen looked at Igraine, who rolled her eyes. "Arthur . . ."

Arthur continued to screech. Igraine tried again. "Arthur, please."

After another moment, the sound ceased and Arthur composed his face into a smile. "Hello Gwen Smith, I'm Arthur Pendragon," he said.

Gwen stood, staring. She couldn't believe what this man had done. Was it supposed to be funny or was it excessive sarcasm?

Igraine spoke again. "Well, I'll leave you to get acquainted. Merlin, please introduce her to the binder and all the things she'll have to know."

"You got it."

Igraine turned to leave. "I won't let you down," Gwen told her.

"Good." And Igraine was gone.

Gwen turned to stare again at Arthur. "I'm Gwen," she said again, immediately feeling stupid.

"Yes, you said that," Arthur replied, rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'll just . . ."

Merlin spoke up. "Why don't I show you the binder?"

"Great!" Gwen replied, too cheerfully. She winced

"You'll be all right for a moment, Mr. P?"

"Splendid." Arthur turned his chair to look out the window.

Merlin shrugged and led her out of the room and over to the kitchenette area. He opened a cabinet and pulled out a thick binder. He explained what was in all the sections and suggested she get to know it well. Then he opened another cabinet, its shelves loaded with drugs. Gwen gaped while he explained the functions of the most important (blood pressure, anti-spasm, nerve pain, painkillers). Gwen tried to memorize the location of each one but knew that it would take time for her to do so. He answered her questions and showed her where various other tools and food were located.

Gwen stood there, feeling lost, and a question bubbled out of her. "What am I doing here, exactly?"

Merlin stopped where he was and blinked at her. "I don't know. To cheer him up, I guess."

Gwen puzzled this statement over and over as she and Merlin went back to Arthur. For the rest of her time there, she attempted to engage Arthur in small talk. But he gave only short answers or none at all. She was relieved when Igraine appeared again and said she could leave for the day. After saying farewell to both men, she left and walked all the way back to the bus stop.

When she arrived home, she found everyone busy with dinner. Elyan looked up and noticed her standing there, smiling. "You got the job, didn't you?"

At his words, Tom and Jennie glanced over at her. "Yeah," she said, nodding excitedly.

"Good for you," Jennie exclaimed, running over to hug Gwen. Elyan and Tom joined in and Gwen found herself at the center of a tight group hug. After several seconds, they stepped back to let her breathe.

"Thank you, all of you," she said.

After that, the family sat down to dinner. The details of the job were talked over and over, and everyone expressed their opinions about the job and the man. Tom thought he was irritable because he seemed kind of lonely. Jennie was ready to write him off as rude. Elyan thought that he probably did need a lot of cheering up, and Gwen was definitely the right person to do that.

Gwen went to bed that night with a smile on her face and hope in her heart. It wouldn't be easy, but if she could do Arthur any good at all, it would be worth it.

Next chapter coming right up!