Midnight Blue

Category: (Modern AU)

Characters/Pairings: Merlin/Mithian

Rating/Warnings: M (dark themes and non graphic sex)

Basic Summary: The lonely bridesmaid watched the lazy haze of smoke vanish in the cool night air, and tears pricked her eyes as she remembered the stinging pain of her brief and failed relationships. She had never been lucky when it came to love.

Special thanks to Captain Ozone for editing and Wil1969 for providing such lovely inspiration. You guys are awesome.

I see you cryin' now you've found a lot of pain, And what you're searchin' for can never be the same, But what's the difference cos' they say what's in a name. And I see you in midnight blue.

Midnight Blue lyrics by ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

I don`t own Merlin.

Mithian Montgomery stood by the dessert table in the chandelier lit ballroom, admiring the pink rose garland lining the white tablecloth. She idly sipped her champagne,and her slender fingers gently grasped the glass' thin middle. The golden liquid shimmered, reflecting against her red nail polish. Her dark eyes drifted toward the six layered wedding cake, and a sense of melancholy flooded her empty heart. The old cliche of always a bridesmaid and never a bride drifted through her mind. But she wasn't bitter; she was honored to be Gwen`s bridesmaid. Witnessing the marriage of her best friends Arthur and Gwen was the highlight of the year. She only wished to experience the love that clearly shone in the couple`s eyes as they enjoyed their first dance as husband and wife.

Mithian excused herself from the celebration, slipping out the back door to smoke a cigarette in the garden. The lonely bridesmaid watched the lazy haze of smoke vanish in the cool night air, and tears pricked her eyes as she remembered the stinging pain of her brief and failed relationships. She had never been lucky when it came to love. Despite her successes as an up and coming attorney, her turbulent love life was the rough patch in her otherwise seemingly perfect life. She discarded her cigarette, opting to walk in the park across the street rather than return to the wedding reception just yet.

The dark haired young woman smiled wistfully, watching fireflies pass as she walked along a dirt trail near the swing set. Unexpectedly, she tripped over a lump of rocky soil, damaging one of her new and very expensive high-heeled shoes in the process, and after swearing moodily under her breath, she hobbled toward a bench to examine warning, a hooded figure emerged from the surrounding bushes, pouncing on his unsuspecting victim. The fall nearly stole the air from her lungs as she scrambled to move away from her attacker. Fear was greater than the pain pulsing through her. She hoarsely cried out for help , gasping and stumbling over the hem of her blue, ruffled dress. The stranger quickly regained his footing and reached out from behind her grabbing her waist. Mithian elbowed him, struggling to break free from his viselike grip, sobbing and screaming as she did so.

Her attacker abruptly loosened his hold, and she fell to her knees. She fearfully glanced over her shoulder, peeking through her tousled hair to see his body spiral through the air before striking the ground a few feet away. Merlin stepped out from the shadows, his gentle features contoured into the fierceness of a mythical god with his eyes blazing an angry gold. His expression softened when his eyes rested on her trembling form, and he ran to her. Merlin wearily sank to the ground beside her, pulling her into his arms, cradling her against him as she cried.

Months later, Mithian still battled with bouts of depression, and she often glanced over her shoulder at , when their friends had found an alarmingly disheveled bridesmaid and bestman alone in the park, Merlin had created a believable lie. He never mentioned that awful night again, and she was grateful for it. She didn't want to imagine what would have happened had he not followed her after he'd gazed out the window, watching her head toward the park.

Besides, who knew how to keep secrets better than Merlin Wyllt?

His magic was a secret that only she and Gwen knew about. And even that had been an accident. It had sprung up instinctively during a visit to Gwen's house for dinner. She had stumbled in the kitchen, dropping a scalding pot of soup . Both women had cried out in alarm, but time had stopped, and the liquid had hovered in the air before flying back inside the pot. The two women turned to see gold flicker in Merlin`s blue eyes. Knowing his secret made her feel special in a way that she didn't quite understand.

Mithian spent her Saturday at home in her apartment, wearing a gray sweat set, huddled in a blanket on the sofa watching tennis. There was a knock at the door, and she rose from the sofa, briefly glancing at her reflection in a glass framed picture hanging on the wall.

I look awful, she thought miserably. But after everything that happened to her, she couldn't bring herself to care anymore. Her mascara had run when she was crying earlier and dried on her face. She opened the door to see Merlin dressed in a green shirt, jeans and sneakers, holding up a bag filled with chinese takeout.

"You're so sweet," she said softly, eyes brightening a bit. She stepped aside to let him in, and he set the bag on the table in front of the TV.

Then he pulled her into a hug. "You promised me that you'd start taking better care of yourself. I'll keep bringing you meals if that`s what it takes."

She smiled her first true smile in months. " You're such a mother hen ."

" I mean it," he said sincerely , playfully tugging on her messy ponytail before sitting beside her on the sofa to enjoy their meal. " The animal hospital can survive a few days without me."

"No, their best vet isn't going to take more days off from work to try to babysit me. Thank you, but I am a grown woman you know. I`ll manage just fine."

After passing her an egg roll, he gently brushed his thumb against her cheek. " You were crying."

She placed her egg roll beside her rice and shrimp platter, then she turned to look at him, taking his hands in her own.

"You've been so good to me. I can't thank you enough. I don't think I could have faced all this alone."

"You'll never have to."

Maybe it was the affection shining in his eyes or her lonely, broken heart that motivated her actions ? She leaned forward to kiss him, gently prodding his full lips at first, relishing the softness. Even though she silently tried to convince herself that she would be strong enough to endure the possible rejection, she could feel the tears forming under her eyelids. When he returned her kisses, she fiercely captured his mouth, taking pleasure in the rush of warmth and faint taste of wine. His tongue eagerly caressed and curled around hers, and she trembled slightly, circling her arms around his neck. And he placed his hands on her waist, pulling her pulled apart for air, foreheads almost touching and breaths mingling together.

"I love you, Mith."

Mithian heard these words quite a few times in the past, but never truly believed in them until the simple and yet powerful sentence came from his mouth. She didn't bother asking how long he felt this way or reflecting on the moment when she realized she developed feelings for him. She just accepted his heart and offered her own in return.

"I love you too."

Two years later, Merlin bowed his head allowing the shower`s warm water to flow over him. Then he stepped away brushing back his hair, wincing when cool air swept over his skin due to the shower stall`s door sliding open. He smiled, feeling a familiar pair of arms encircle his waist from behind, shuddering slightly as he felt the pleasurable contact of his wife`s naked skin against his.

"You're going to make me late for work again, Mith."

"The other time was your fault," she teased, brushing her lips against his damp skin. "Lately our work schedules haven't given us much time to spend together. Hopefully when my latest court case is through, we'll be together more often. "

"Looking forward to it."

" Me too."

He gently pushed her arms aside and turned around to face her, pulling her close again. She moaned when his hands began to wander, but he smothered her delighted cries with kisses. The pleased little noises she made and the way she trembled against him was all the more arousing. She held him tightly, gasping as he picked her up, circling her legs around his narrow hips. A groan rumbled in his throat as he pressed her back against the wet tile, becoming one.

" I love you," he breathed, shuddering against her.

She could only respond in a choked whisper , the love she felt for him and the pleasure he gave nearly leaving her breathless.

Mithian sat in front of a vanity dressed in a simple skirt and blouse, pinning up her hair as Merlin headed toward the bedroom door in scrubs and a white medical coat.

" I'm off to save animalkind," he joked with a goofy grin, and his wife smiled in return. " Don't make any plans for Saturday night. I'm taking you out."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

She rose a brow at him.

"Merlin, really?"

He cocked his head to the side, looking utterly adorable as he stood in the door`s threshold. She would've given him anything when he looked at her like that.

"Just wear the strapless dress you bought last week."

"The midnight blue one?"

"Yeah."

After they said their goodbyes, Mithian opened the closet, smiling as she ran her fingers over the dress`s smooth fabric. He always loved to see her in midnight blue.

I see beautiful days And I feel beautiful ways of loving you Everything's midnight blue