Prologue

Gwen would not meet Arthur's intense blue stare as she listened to Gwaine and Leon discussing the end of their marriage. Honestly, she never thought this day would come-saying goodbye to Arthur. Her fingers twisted her diamond encrusted wedding band. They just weren't happy. Gwen wasn't happy; Arthur was cheery as a clam. It didn't work. Nothing could change that. In the end, they were just two people having amazing sex. That's it. That powerful burning attraction that would never end between them. Gwen knew that she would happily return to Arthur's bed if her asked, but she needed more. Maybe, less passionate, more talking, and more listening. Her love for Arthur would never die, but sex just wasn't enough anymore.

Gwen's head whipped around at the mention of alimony.

Her fingers grabbed Gwaine's wrist.

"I don't need it."

Gwaine sighed. "Gwen, you are used to a very privileged lifestyle. Arthur is willing—"

Gwen smiled sadly at Gwaine. "I've found work. My songs do sell very well. It's not Pendragon luxury, but I can live from it. No alimony."

Leon rolled his eyes, as Arthur tensed next to him. Leon kicked Arthur under the table.

Arthur was beyond annoyed with his wife. She couldn't even take that damn money. She wanted nothing from. Nothing. Not even what was rightfully hers by law? He loved Guinevere, but she sure knew how to test his patience.

"What kind of job do you have?'

Gwen tapped her fingers across the gleaming table. She licked her lips and took a deep breath.

"I'm working as a backup singer on Isolde's world tour. I wrote a few extra songs on her last album. Her last single is written by me. One of her singers quit… I sang on her album a few days ago. She offered me a job."

"Congratulations."

Guinevere... run away from your life, from our life, as if it meant nothing to any of us. Just run away. Just pack your clothes, and leave me to do deal with the fallout.

Arthur's anger grew. She's putting her life together like I was a mere fling. I meant nothing to her. Thank you, Guinevere. She's my dammed wife. It's like she selected a new pair of knickers.

"Thank you."

Gwen knew Arthur was angry with her, but there was nothing she could change about that. She needed to start over away from their life. She needed to grow up. She was tired of being Arthur's girlfriend. She was tired of being his wife. She had nothing. She lived his life. It was overwhelming. They just didn't work.

He's pouting. I've hurt him again. I didn't mean to hurt him again. Why can't he understand? Lancelot came home, and everything fell apart between us. He couldn't deal with the closeness. I couldn't deal with his lack of trust. I couldn't deal with his detached devotion. It slowly fell apart until we didn't have anything.

"Where do I sign?"

Leon's eyes widened, he was exasperated with Arthur. When will he stop with the fits? It would have been so easy. She didn't want anything. She wanted her freedom from Arthur.

But Arthur hated to lose anything. Losing Gwen wasn't in the cards, ever. He figured Gwen would live on her own for a few months, come to her senses and return home. He had felt inclined to indulge her little tantrum. Now it finally dawned on Arthur that Gwen wasn't having a tantrum. She wanted out. She wanted a life without him. She planned to leave the UK to get away from him. Hurt brimmed Arthur's in eyes.

"We aren't quite fini-"

"Courier them to me." Arthur stared at Gwen one last time before he rose from the table.

"Have a good Life. I'll see you in a year, Guinevere."

Arthur slammed the door shut causing the glass of water on the table to jump and spill.

"I don't want to hurt him," Gwen cried.

Leon and Gwaine exchanged looks. This would never be over between them. Gwaine rested his hands on her shoulders as Gwen laid with her head on the table crying. Leon shook his head.

"A simple amicable separation for a year with a nice friendly divorce. I told you."

One year later

Gwaine slide the papers in front of Arthur. He didn't know what to say about this. Honestly, he didn't believe that she would sign the papers. Arthur threw himself into his work. He dealt with so much over the last year. Losing Gwen. The anniversary of Uther's death. Gwen didn't bother to call or communicate in any other form. Gwaine was deeply disappointed in her. Not to forget, there was Agravaine's death with a lady of the night. Nobody saw that one coming. Morgana attempted to steal the company… predictable.

"Is she here?"

"No, she's in Asia. She couriered them to me."

Arthur lifted his brows. "I won't sign them until she sits in front of me with a nice Guinevere smile adorning her beautiful face. In her sweet voice, she has to say the words… I don't love you, Arthur… and only then will I let her go." Arthur flicked them across the table with his left hand.

"I handled myself badly. I should have listen to her. So many things. I made mistakes. So, did she. Guinevere honestly thinks that I'm going to let her go?"

Merlin rolled his eyes in desperation. Arthur needed to pop a bipolar med or something.

"Arthur…"

Arthur swiveled in his chair, starring at them with open hostility and frustration. "I have to listen to Isolde crooning about my broken marriage with Guinevere. She penned "Detached Devotion" about us. I know it." Arthur crunched his nose. "You kisses make me ache, but only if you didn't make my heart ache. The star of my sky blinds me with pain of our goodbye. Stupid love song. Or that silly remixed "Blue Eyes." that's a club mix. Blue eyes. Blue eyes…. You just me cry… cry blue eyes… blue eyes. She wants to get a divorce, all the while putting bad music into the world? I think not! How many iPods has she ruined with that nonsense? Isolde's loud voice pining for her lost love… swimming in a sea of despair. Guinevere should have to pay for my hearing aid! My ears are permanently damaged because of her!"

Gwaine wanted to laugh. Actually, he wanted to roll on the floor, and grab his sides until they stopped hurting. It took Arthur an entire year to figure out that Gwen in her sweet little way flicked him the bird on their marriage. He didn't think Gwen would return. She seemed content and happy. Only… a ba-. No, Arthur wouldn't do that. He couldn't.

Several hard pairs of eyes gazed at Arthur.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, like only a Pendragon could. The king of everything and everyone in his life. He didn't know what to do when his queen rebelled against him.

"Don't stare at me like that. I get it. I neglected my wife. I ignored Guinevere. I lost my mind over Lancelot. I pushed her away. I didn't trust her. I made a mistake!"

Merlin stepped forward. 'Arthur-"

"Merlin, you are going to call her. Text her. Email her. Skype her. Tell her that if she wants to dismiss me, she's going to have to dismiss me to my face. She owes it to me. Now, lets' go, I have a scheduled a game of Rugby."

Merlin shook his dark head. "Just like that, Arthur. Let's play Rugby," Merlin raged. You aren't in the right state of mind to play Rugby.'

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Merlin didn't understand how this happened. It was such a simple game. Arthur rushed down the field. The ball nestled in his strong arms. A defender grabbed his legs, and brought him to the ground. A pretty straightforward game and Arthur had dropped to the ground so many times during the game. Merlin's mouth dropped, while he ran towards his friend, witnessing Arthur head bouncing on the ground- not only once but twice. On the one hand it happened in delayed time and on the other hand to Merlin's astonishment it happened very fast. Arthur didn't move…he was so still.

Merlin could still hear the screams to get help. Arthur lay in a coma for two days. Leon kept the news from the papers to keep it Morgana in the dark. She would make a move on the company. Merlin couldn't believe Arthur's injuries. Arthur had a bruise on his brain, a dislocated shoulder, and two cracked ribs from one simple game. Merlin wished that Gwen was here. She would know what to do. How to make him wake up.

"Guinevere," Arthur whispered hoarsely from his hospital bed. He attempted to lift his bandaged blond head. His eyes lids fluttered.

Merlin raised his head. Smiling, he raced to Arthur.

"Arthur, how do you feel?'

Arthur raised his hands; he looked at them in confusion. He blinked when he spotted an IV.

"Like Hell. What happened?'

"You fell playing Rugby."

"Oh… where's Guinevere?"

"She's in Asia."

"Why is she in Asia? My dad just died. What she is doing there? I thought we were trying for a baby."

Merlin jaw dropped. Arthur placed the baby making on hold after Uther died suddenly. He left Gwen home often, and she wasn't part of the new vision of Pendragon. She had nothing, but time on her hands. She started writing songs again.

"Arthur, what year is it?"

"2011."

Merlin closed his eyes. He couldn't tell him it was March 2012. He wanted to bang his head against a wall.

Merlin did the next logical thing. He hollered for Gauis

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"Let's go get her."

"Leon, we can't order her back to the UK" Elyan reasoned. "She's an adult."

Percy stared at his friend. 'Perhaps, we should appeal to her sweet side. Her gentle nature. Ask her nicely."

Gwaine rubbed the brow of his nose. "You mean guilt her into submission. Make her feel bad. It can't come from us… it has to come from their mutual best friend."

Merlin's mouth dropped open. "I can't brow beat Gwen."

Gwaine waved his hands. "Arthur can't lose Pendragon to Morgana. We'll tell him that we're meeting Gwen in Rio. They are going on a second honeymoon. We'll all go…"

"That make sense. We can work remotely. The "yacht "is a floating skyscraper."

"He won't be able to speak to anyone, and say something stupid.

"I don't know."

"Merlin."

"Fine."

Two weeks later

Gwen wiped her hands over her eyes; pulling her long curly dark hair over her head as Merlin words ate at her soul. She couldn't do this. She was in Rio to run away from her failed marriage. Her life began on Isolde's world tour. She was backup singer to one of the world's best known singers. Her life was good-easy. It was everything that Gwen wanted post Arthur. She finally stepped from behind her songs to sing every night. Gwen didn't have the desire to be a superstar. Happily, she wrote a few very cute tunes that went mega platinum, and made her mega wealthy. She hadn't seen Arthur in twelve lonely sad boring sexless painful months since they separated. It just hurt; they didn't work. It was just wrong. They parted with a bittersweet goodbye.

Just last week, Gwen removed her wedding band; and signed her divorce papers.

She listened and processed Merlin's words. She didn't know if she could do it…. if she wanted to do it. Gwen shut her eyes briefly as her emotions rushed around her brain, heart, and soul. Her brain whispered," Stay away from him." Her heart raged," You still love him." "You belong with him," her soul echoed.

"How did this happen?"

Merlin smiled weakly. "Rugby, Arthur hit his head and woke up two days later. He didn't remember anything about the divorce or Uther's death. That was… hard describing Uther's death. He looked around; his blue eyes searching for Guinevere. You weren't there. It was agony for him." Merlin waved his hands. "What could I say? You and Gwen don't work. You're divorced... almost. He had a black eye, cracked ribs, and a big knot on his head."

Merlin grabbed Gwen's hands. "Listen to me, just a few weeks until his mind isn't fuzzy. He would do it for you… he would do anything for you –still."

Sighing, Gwen shook her dark head. "For a few weeks."

"Thank you, Gwen."

"Merlin?"

"Gwen."

Gwen licked her dry lips. "I can't fall back in love with him."

Merlin smirked. "Can't fall back in love." Merlin raised a dark brow. "Whenever did you stop loving, fall out of love with him, or move on, Gwen? Running away isn't going to change your powerful feelings for Arthur."

"What time do I need to meet you?"

"I'll send a car for you. You don't need to pack. He bought you everything."

"What?"

"I told him that you were in Rio; he purchased clothes for your second honeymoon."

"What!"

"You won't be alone… the guys and I are on board too."

Gwen twisted her nose. "I'm going on the Love Boat with all of you? Merlin!"

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This was a bad idea. It was wrong to trick Arthur in his time of need. Gwen said nothing. She merely climbed into a waiting car. Thoughts of Arthur plagued her for hours. They didn't leave her as the car drove through Rio. Gwen fumbled through her purse. Slowly, her fingers located her wedding band. Starring at it, sunlight reflected from her band. She felt so blessed with life when Arthur slipped it on her finger. She never thought that she would remove it. Sighing, she shoved it on her finger.

In a daze, she didn't realize that they reached a helipad. Of course, they would have her take a helicopter to the boat. SS Igraine couldn't dock in Rio. She was like a floating city.

Smiling, Gwen took an offered hand. She wanted to toss her passport at Merlin.

"How can you sleep at night?"

Merlin wriggled his eye brows.

"I slept like a baby."

"Whatever."

The water was so beautiful. Gwen ignored the butterflies in her stomach. She wondered if Arthur was alright. Why wasn't he in a bed resting? Gwen swallowed nervously when they approached the SS Igraine. She was a magnificent ship. Uther's wedding gift to Igraine. She held a swimming pool, helipad, enough rooms for 30 people, a movie theater, Jacuzzi, and a rock climbing area. Uther installed the rock climbing pad as one of Arthur's 18 birthday presents. Gwen shook her head; they spent their honeymoon on this ship.

Gwen thought she spotted Arthur staring over a rail as she landed. She waited a few moments for the propeller to stop.

Merlin helped her from the helicopter. Gwen's eyes darted around. She couldn't find him. Gwen wanted to hurry to her room.

"Guinevere..."

Her heart thumped. Her teeth bit into her bottom lip. His left eye was a deep blue with a bit a green around it.

"Arthur, what has happened to you?"

He offered a silly grin.

"I fell."

Instinctively, Gwen rushed over to Arthur to touch his damaged eye. "Does it hurt?"

"Not when you're here."

Arthur grabbed Gwen hand, and pulled her deeper into his arms. Gwen tried to squirm away; Arthur held her tighter. Merlin and Gwaine watched them exchange a passionate kiss.

"How about a bet," Gwaine inquired.

"What?'

"I say back together, and pregnant."

Merlin shook his head. "Shagging, most definitely. He'll get his memory back, and she'll leave again. He can't change."

Gwaine watched Arthur holding Gwen tightly in his arms. Her hands resting on her shoulders as Arthur possessed her mouth. "I give it a week before he seduces her."

Merlin shook his dark head. "No, 5 days… a traditional business week.

"100 quid."

"Deal."