Part 6

After pouring over notes and texts for the millionth time, Ellie poured two mugs of tea and silently carried them into Merlin's room. She'd casted a simple spell on them to keep them hot for hours. Merlin had pulled up a chair right at the bedside and had his dark head rested on the edge of the mattress. Arthur was slumbering soundlessly on his back with Merlin's red blanket pulled up around him.

Ellie gently set the mugs on the nightstand, just in case either of the boys wanted one. She began to creep quietly out of the room when she heard Merlin's faint whisper, "Thanks, Ellie.

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Merlin knew there was no way he would sleep the rest of the night. Arthur was back. He was here. He was alive. He was sleeping in Merlin's bed. Merlin couldn't do much other than stare. He had seen millions of faces and people over the years but he'd never see such a perfect jawbone, a jawbone he longed to kiss. No one could rival Arthur's smooth, wonderfully-structured face or his beautiful golden hair that hung around that face and began to curl at the base of his neck. No, there was definitely no way he could fall asleep. Instead he sat by Arthur's bedside and gingerly lay his head down near Arthur's side. He didn't know what the daytime would bring when Arthur woke, but for now he would be content resting next to his sweetly slumbering Arthur.

"Merlin," Arthur suddenly stated clearly.

To his surprise, Merlin had actually dozed off and was suddenly roused by Arthur speaking his name. At the sound of his voice, Merlin's head shot up in an instant.

"Arthur!" he bumbled with fatigue, "Are you...are you okay? How are you feeling?"

Arthur slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. His confused gaze traveled around the room, taking in its modernism. Merlin realized how strange just this simple room must look to Arthur. Buildings and homes were now structured and built in completely different ways than they were during his time. The electricity alone must have looked downright alien. Arthur's expression suddenly grew very serious as he looked Merlin straight in the eye.

"Merlin...I...died," he stated incredulously.

"Yeah..." Merlin responded awkwardly, "Do you...do you remember anything about it?"

Arthur held Merlin's gaze.

"I remember everything," Arthur spoke.

They stared at each other for a long time, until the intensity made Merlin break eye contact and bow his head.

"When you came out of the lake," Merlin began, "you...you remembered that I..."

"Have magic?" Arthur finished.

Merlin regained the courage to look into Arthur's eyes again, "Yes."

"Merlin, when I was...dead...I think I was in some sort of...in between place. I remembered what happened. I knew I had died. Time passed strangely. It feels as if hardly any time has passed at all. But I knew I was going to return. I don't know how, I just knew. I had a lot of time to think. In fact, that's all I could do was think. Merlin, I've gone over so many different things in my mind. Countless times I've gone over everything that happened in my life since you entered it. Everything we'd been through."

Merlin braced himself because he wasn't sure what was coming next.

"I was such an idiot," Arthur concluded, "I mean, you saved me a million times, didn't you? And I was too clueless to realize it. You...you used your magic to help me."

"Yes," Merlin answered, his voice thick with relief.

"Even though I went along with my father most of the time on his hysteric road to eradicate sorcerers. I must have made you feel so horrible, Merlin. I never wanted to make you feel that way," Arthur choked out, his voice catching with emotion.

Merlin was taken aback by Arthur's surge of such emotion.

"Arthur," he spoke tenderly as he reached out a comforting hand and placed it on Arthur's shoulder, "it was my destiny to help you. And I loved doing it. You were my...my best friend."

"And you were mine," Arthur replied seriously, placing his own hand atop Merlin's that rested on his shoulder.

They stayed like that for a long moment until Arthur broke the silence again.

"How long has it been?" he asked.

"Almost a thousand years."

"What?!" Arthur nearly jumped up. "A...a thousand years? I can't...I can't believe it's been that long. Merlin? You...you've waited for me to return all this time?"

Merlin tried to think of something funny and witty to say, but he was at a loss for words. "Of course I did," was what he replied.

Then Arthur was looking at Merlin with a curious expression, almost as if he were seeing Merlin for the first time. Or maybe he was realizing something he never had before.

"Tell me everything, Merlin. From the beginning."

So Merlin told Arthur everything, starting from the day he first arrived in Camelot. He told him everything Kilgharrah had told him and all about his prophecy of Arthur's return. He told him of the many, many times he'd had to use magic to save Arthur's arse and all the terrible things had ensued from having to keep his magic a secret.

"I know it's a lot to take in, I'm sorry," Merlin finished.

"I just can't believe you did so much for me, Merlin," Arthur shook his head, "I mean, all those times I called you an idiot...you know I was joking with you...well, most of the time."

Merlin laughed.

"When all that time, you knew exactly what was going on, all the time. And I was the one who was an idiot," Arthur concluded.

"Arthur, I just want you to know," Merlin said clearly, "that everything I did was for you. It wasn't just because a dragon told me of my destiny. Once I got to know you, I wanted to remain by your side, always."

"But you couldn't truly be yourself with me," Arthur said, pained, "you had to hide who you were from me."

"I never hid who I was from you," Merlin retorted, "You knew me, heart and soul, Arthur. You just didn't know of my magic. I couldn't tell you for obvious reasons."

"Merlin," Arthur said, "do you honestly think I would have had you killed?"

"Well..." Merlin replied, unsure.

"Maybe at first when I didn't know you as well and my father's influence on me was heavy... but later on? Merlin, you knew me better than anyone else. You were always at my side no matter what. If I had learned of your magic I would have kept you from harm, from those like my father. I was angry that you'd kept this from me, Merlin. I wasn't angry because you were a sorcerer. I was angry that you never trusted in me enough to tell me. Did you honestly think my feelings for you were so conditional that I'd have turned my back on you in an instant? Did you think that low of me, Merlin?"

"Of course not, Arthur," Merlin said with tears threatening to spill from his eyes, "I just...I couldn't risk it. Your father had the idea that all those who practiced magic were evil so embedded in your mind that...I was too afraid to tell you. If you had turned on me, I couldn't have bared it. I couldn't bear to see the disgust in your eyes if you hated me for knowing what I was."

"I could never have hated you, Merlin."

To Merlin it felt as if their faces were so close. So close that if he just moved a little farther he could reach Arthur's lips and bridge the gap that remained there.

Arthur cleared his throat and broke the connection. "Everyone," his voice became clouded with emotion again, "everyone we knew...back then. They're all gone now."

"Yes," Merlin replied sympathetically, "I'm so sorry Arthur."

"Gwen," Arthur croaked, "was she...was she at least happy?"

"She was very upset by your death, like everyone was, obviously. It took a while. She'd lost so many in her life. But, eventually, yes, she moved on and she was happy. She remained Camelot's queen and ruled justly."

"With your help, I presume?"

"Yes," Merlin smiled, "I was officially on her counsel. I remained in Camelot until she grew old and passed away."

"Thank you for staying with her all that time," Arthur said kindly. "Did you tell her about your magic?"

"Shortly before your death Gaius hinted at it to her. He said she understood in that moment that I'd always set out to help you."

"Of course she did," Arthur smiled, "She was always so perceptive, and much smarter than me."

"She was indeed a wonderful woman," Merlin agreed. "Arthur, I don't want to anger you but...she...married Sir Leon. Years after your death. She'd already established herself as queen of Camelot. The people knew she was competent. They related to her. She'd been a commoner like them once. No one felt that she had to have a royal husband to lead. Then, at some point feelings between she and Leon, her most trusted knight, grew into something more. They married, he became the king consort."

After a moment of pondering, Arthur replied, "Good. I'm glad. I could think of no one better fitted for Gwen than Leon. I'm confident that he treated her wonderfully and made her happy."

Suddenly, a clamor of noise from somewhere in the flat caught their attention.

"What's that?" Arthur asked.

"If you're feeling up to it, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Merlin smiled and held out his hand.