Hi, me again, I was trying to do a one shot, but like always, this got away from me. This will not be as long as The Perfect Set-up, I think it'll be about five chapters, I don't know. So here goes…
I do not own Merlin or the characters.
Gwen felt silly.
'I don't know why I let Morganna talked me into this. This is the last place I need to be, although she assured me, that I have nothing to worry
about, that it's all for a good cause, and I need to lighten up and have some fun,' she thought silently.
Guinevere Johnson, age twenty-two, was born and raised in England, to interracial parents, her father being black and her mother white.
Her parents, though not rich, loved her immensely, and ensured she was well taken care of, so being an only child, she was given many privileges.
She attended the best schools and a well respected college, and now, she was doing her internship at St. Thomas' Hospital, as a Registered Nurse.
She met her best friend Morganna Pendragon, at Ashbourne High School in London, and they hit it off immediately.
During that time, she also met Morganna's twin brother Arthur and his best friends, Merlin Emerys, Leon Greene, Gwaine Morgan, Percival James and Lance Saldana, and they all became great friends.
They all ended up at The University of London, which consists of seventeen constituent colleges, and nine research institutes, studying various disciplines.
Gwen as she is familiarly known, went to Queen Mary University, while her best friend Morganna, and her twin brother Arthur attended, The London School of
Economics and Political Science, because they were obviously expected to take over their father's company when he retired.
The others, Merlin, Leon and Gwaine, attended The London School of Business, while Percival and Lance, went off to The Royal Veterinary College.
After a few months, she and Lance began to grow close, and they started to hang out in their free time together.
They ended up on a few dates, and Gwen found herself liking him, but in a brotherly way. She wanted to believe that he saw her that way too, but she could tell, he was already falling in love with her.
She too, was falling in love, with her best friend's brother, as he matured.
She noticed a change in him especially when he was around her. His prattish behaviour became nonexistent, and he would show a side of him, few people knew about.
He was always nice to her, and never called her by the shorter form of her name. To him she was always 'Guinevere'. She secretly loved the way her name sounded on his lips, and her heart-rate always seem to speed up, when he was nearby.
All of these things she took special interest in, and because she really loved those things about him, she locked them away in a secret compartment
of her heart.
She found herself drawn to him, but somewhere along the lines, they ended up with other people.
She stuck with Lance, due to the kind nature she has, and although she knew she wasn't in love with him, she just couldn't muster enough bravado to end things with him.
Arthur ended up with a spoilt wanna-be princess called Vivian, whose only objective in that relationship, was to spend his money and look glamorous.
To say Arthur was miserable would be an understatement. He was only with her for three months, and to him, he felt as though he was serving a life sentence.
Morganna watched her best-friend and brother pretend to be happy everyday, knowing that the two of them want nothing else but to be with each other.
She decided enough was enough, and she went to her brother first, to try to talk to him, about his feelings for Gwen. He cut her off right away.
"Guinevere is with Lance, and she seems happy. I don't want to be responsible for causing any trouble or unhappiness in her life. Just let it be Morganna," he said, trying to sound convincingly.
Morganna, not one to back off easily, told him,
"Nothing could be further from the truth, can't you see? Even a blind man can see it. Gwen is not that happy, and you are not happy, with that… that…money-grabbing barbie doll."
Arthur was taken aback by his sister's rant.
"Morganna," he said warning her.
"What?" you know it's true, you would think that someone like Vivian, who was born into money, would grow accustomed to that life-style, but with her, she always wants more, she tries to out-do me whenever there's a function that we have to attend, and at this point, I think she wants to out-do the Queen of England.
Also, she doesn't like any of your friends, including Gwen, and I know, she certainly doesn't like me, but I can live with that, because, I can assure you, the feeling is mutual," she said exasperatedly.
Arthur's shoulders slumped.
He hung his head in defeat, because he knew that everything his sister said was true, plain and simple.
He had thought to end things with Vivian many times, but every time he thinks about Gwen and Lance together, he puts it off, and settles for being miserable and loving Gwen from afar.
He ran his hand through his blonde locks and said,
"I don't know what to do anymore. I just can't go up to Guinevere and tell her dump Lance because I'm in love with her. Even if I end things with Vivian, where does that left us in the grand scheme of things, huh? You tell me Morganna since you seem to have all the answers."
When Arthur saw the hurt look on his sister's face, he apologized immediately.
"I'm sorry Morgs, I know you have my best interest at heart, but I really don't see a way for me and Guinevere to be together. As for me and Vivian, I know I have to end things, because I can't go on like this.
I've been fooling myself, but every time I see Guinevere or think about her, I die inside, because I remember she's with Lance, and he seems to make her happy, and I want her to be happy, even if it is at my expense," he said sincerely.
Morganna deflated when she heard her brother spoke from his heart.
She knew her brother better than anyone else, and she knew he was in love with Gwen for a long time now. The thing is, Arthur didn't know that Gwen was in love with him, but she knew, and she wanted to help them get together.
She knows that he would never condone any meddling from her, especially if it meant Gwen getting hurt, so she scrapped that thought quickly from her mind.
She loved her brother, and she felt sorry for him, seeing him become miserable whenever he saw Gwen with Lance, and it tore her up inside, because she couldn't do anything to help.
'There has to be a way, or something I can do,' she thought to herself.
She embraced her brother and told him, "It'll be okay Arthur. Don't give up, there has to be a way. I believe that the right opportunity will come along, and you and Gwen will be together."
Morganna departed her brother's home, and as soon as she got on the outside she called Gwen.
"Hi best-friend, how are you today?" she asked. Gwen exhaled loudly, before answering her friend.
"Hi Morgs, I'm well thanks, and you?" she asked. Morganna immediately noted something was wrong. She knows her friend, and she is accustomed to her being cheerful and bubbly, and she seems to be any but.
"I'm fine Gwen, but I can tell you're not. What's wrong?" she asked. A heavy sigh escaped Gwen's lips, and she answered quietly.
"Its nothing Morgs, it's just… I don't feel happy anymore, and I haven't been for a long time, maybe I'm just being silly, I don't know."
Morganna was concerned for her friend. She knows it could only be one thing that has Gwen feeling this way, but she couldn't bring herself to say it yet.
"Approximately, how long have you been feeling this way Gwen?" she asked. Gwen hesitated for a few seconds before she answered,
"If I had to make a guess, I'd say for the past three months now." The wheels in Morganna's head began to turn, and it dawned on her,
'That's about the same time that both her and my brother decided to date other people,' she thought to herself.
"I see, and you have no idea what could be the reason for you feeling unhappy? Could it be work, or your parents?" she asked.
Gwen knew exactly what was making her unhappy, but she didn't want to say it.
She couldn't confess to her best-friend that she was in love with her brother, and it hurts to see him with another woman, Vivian at that.
She couldn't tell her best-friend that every time she sees her brother, whether he's with Vivian or not, she falls more in love with him, and wishes with all her heart, that it was her instead of Vivian that he's with.
"It's not work Morgs, and as far as I know, my parents are fine. In fact they are just about ready to go on a three month sabbatical," she answered.
Morganna ventured a little further with her questioning, by asking,
"How are things with you and Lance?" Gwen rolled her eyes unceremoniously, and she answered.
"Things are…as they normally are." Morganna continued.
"And by that you mean…" she prompted.
"Um… okay… yeah just peachy," Gwen answered.
Morganna pressed on.
"Okay, so that means you guys are official, you guys are definitely in love with each other. I'm happy for you Gwen, maybe I should tell
Art…" she was cut off by an emphatic
"What? No!" by Gwen.
Still Morganna pressed. "Explain," she said.
Gwen was mortified, she couldn't believe that she had said those words, and to Morganna of all people. There's no fooling Morganna, and Gwen knows how persistent she can be, so she was well and truly caught.
"There's nothing to explain Morgs, I meant it when I said that things are as they normally are," she said, hopeful that her friend would leave it at that.
"Aaw come on Gwen, that's not what I was talking about, and you know it. I want to know what that little outburst was all about," she said.
Gwen felt defeated.
She knows Morganna is not going to give up until she feels satisfied. She debated with herself for a few seconds, before answering her friend.
"I don't know Morgs, what do you want me to say, huh? Do you want me to tell you that, I'm not in love with Lance, and have never been, or do you want me
to tell you, that I'm desperately in love with your brother, and have been for the longest time? How about this one for a change, every time I see him and
Vivian together, I want to scratch her eyes out and rip her fancy clothes to shreds, because I'm super jealous and wishes to take her place in Arthur's life," she
blurted angrily.
She paused and deflated for a few seconds and continued.
"I lie in bed at night and imagine me and Arthur together, and I sometimes create this fantasy, where we are happily married and have two kids, who have his perfect blue eyes…eyes that I happen to love and wish to get lost in forever.
I have never slept with Lance, I just can't bring myself to, and the thing is, he's been wonderful to me and very patient, but I'm so miserable and I can't seem to focus properly.
Everyday I hope to gather enough courage to tell Lance how I really feel, but when I do see him, I lose the will to do it, and then I think about Arthur
and Vivian together, and what they are doing, and I…I just feel sick, so I make excuses to Lance or anyone and just lock myself away in my room, and cry
myself to sleep.
You're probably thinking how pathetic I'm being, but I don't know what else to do, or feel," she said quietly.
With silent tears running down her face, Morganna listened to her friend spill her guts to her on the phone.
She can hear the hurt and anguish in her friend's voice, and it tore her apart, knowing, she can't do anything to help.
She dried her tears and took a few seconds to gather herself together, before speaking to her friend.
"Gwen I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were this unhappy. I've noticed you weren't yourself lately, but I had no idea things were this bad. I love you
Gwen, you're like a sister to me, and I want to see you happy.
You have to tell Lance, because you can't go on like this, it's unhealthy and it'll only get harder as time go on.
For once in your life you have to think about yourself, think about what you want and go after it.
I'm here, the guys are here and I know Arthur would like for you to be happy, even if it kills him," she said honestly.
Gwen listened to her friend speaking, and she knew she was right, and she told her so.
"I hear what you are saying Morgs, and you are right, it's time I do what's best for me. I don't know what will happen, I don't even know if Arthur has any feelings for me, but I can't let that stop me from doing what's right for me.
I need to speak to Lance and soon.
I'm so glad you called Morgs, I feel as though a weight has been lifted from me, and I actually feel a bit better now.
Thank you, I will call the minute I finish talking to Lance."
They both went off the phone with different facial expressions;
Morganna was smiling, because she remembered something Gwen had said in conversation, about not being sure if Arthur has feelings for her, and Gwen, with a perplexed look, when she remembered Morganna saying, Arthur wants her to be happy even if it kills him.
Suddenly, a beacon of hope flared in Gwen's heart, as she thought of what that statement could mean.
What do you think? I hope it was good enough.
I hope you understand what I meant to say about the Colleges. If I'm correct, Queen Mary University, The London School of Economics and Political Science, The London School of Business and The Royal Veterinary College, are all part of The University of London.