A/N: Hello all! So nice to see you again!

So after a very long time in which I didn't write at all because Uni is punishing me for becoming a student I finally decided to write again! However this one is a bit different... you'll see what I mean ^^

Warnings: Not in this chapter but soon enough there will be a reason for this line :)

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, nor will they ever be. They belong to their respected owners and I just borrowed them.

Gaius sat near the table as the candles burned low all around him. Without blinking, he sat staring at the door and waited.

Merlin left in the early hours of the afternoon and he was supposed to be back by now, something definitely went wrong.

Gaius gulped. He couldn't lose Merlin, he couldn't bear the thought. His hands tightened around Merlin's neckerchief as he kept staring at the door.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

"Where are you my boy…?" He whispered softly as sleep finally claimed him into her soft embrace.

"Gaius!" Arthur's voice rang loudly through the room and Gaius sat upright and stared at the door, waiting for it to bang open and reveal the crown prince of Camelot in all his annoyed glory.

"Gaius!" Arthur yelled as he walked into the chamber.

"Good morning sire," Gaius said with a pleasant smile, though his eyes wandered towards Merlin's door, still opened. "What can I do for you today?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed and he glared at the old man.

"Aren't you tired of covering for him?" He demanded.

"Sire?"

"He is late! And so I am late! And I cannot be late!" Arthur concluded and Gaius lifted one unimpressed eyebrow, expecting the prince to stomp his foot any moment now.

"Am I to assume that Merlin failed to be on time today?" Gaius inquired slowly, his heart sinking even more than it already had.

"Your assumption would be correct." Arthur growled. "So where is he? And if you tell me, again, that he is-"

"Collecting herbs sire." Gaius said naturally, his face betraying nothing of the anxiety that he felt.

"Of course he is." Arthur replied and his eyes glanced at Merlin's door. "Well, tell him that he better see me the moment he is back, even if it is the middle of the night!" With that he stomped out of the chamber and down the hall.

Gaius sunk down unto the bench and crossed his hands, griping them tightly and trying to subside the shaking.

"Please let him be okay…" He mumbled before getting up and trying to start his work.

As the sun sat again, it was clear that something went terribly wrong.

"Is he still not back?" Gwen's worried voice inquired as she stared at Gaius's concerned face.

"I-" Gaius started when the door banged open.

"Well?" Arthur started and then stopped as he noticed Gaius's expression. "What is the matter?" He asked immediately and his eyes wandered towards Merlin's door before they came to rest on the neckerchief in Gaius's hands. "Gaius?"

"We are not sure," Gwen was the one to answer, her eyes worried. "He was supposed to be back already but…" She trailed off, the rest was quite obvious.

Arthur was quiet for several long moments before he swallowed."How far is that planet Gaius?" He asked quietly and Gaius lifted startled eyes to stare at him, the lie completely forgotten in his fright.

"Oh," He said and then smiled. "But of course, everything is alright!" He said with a smile.

"Gaius?" Gwen asked, confused.

"That plant is a very unique one and can be picked only at a very specific moment," Gaius improvised quickly. "Merlin must have missed that moment and decided to wait till today to pick it up! He'll be back tomorrow for sure." He assured them, his smile not faltering for a minute.

Gwen sighed in relief and Arthur's stance relaxed a bit.

"If he is not back by tomorrow, at noon, you are telling me where this plant is so I'll go and pick that idiot up." He said, with his face grim. "After that, he will spend the next three days in the stocks for worrying you like that."

Gaius nodded and escorted them out of his rooms, collapsing down on his bed the minute they were out.

"Please my boy… wherever you are… please come back."

Deep in the woods, a pair of black eyes opened wide and then narrowed down as their color changed back to deep blue, and plump lips stretched into a smirk.

"Time to go home." He whispered.

So... what do you think?