Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, it belongs to its respective creators etc.

A/N: This is mostly inspired by the song, 'Better than better could ever be' by Stephen Jerzak & Cady Groves. I actually heard it first when I was watching a gokusen amv a couple of months back.

11 years old

Lying flat on their backs on the grass, they watched the clouds lazily. It was a very lazy afternoon and the sun's rays are not too bright, just right. They are just two pre-teens enjoying each other's presence, not really thinking of anything that goes on in the world.

"Hey Morgana,"

Morgana opened her left eye when she heard her best friend's voice.

"Yes Merlin, what is it?"

Merlin paused for a moment, pondering on what he'll say. After a few moments of thinking, he decided to say it anyway.

"I'm just thinking, what would happen to us years from now. If you did become a journalist and me a doctor, you know? Will the two of us gotten married? Have children? Will we still remain friends until then? That sort of thing"

Morgana yawned as she waited Merlin o finish, as soon as he does, she arched a brow. Even though it's a little uncharacteristic of her, she laughed out loud. But deep inside, she was a little hurt by the last question he asked. Merlin frowned a little, blushing in both embarrassment and feeling a bit peeved.

"Hey!"

"Sorry! It's just that, we're still young Merlin. You shouldn't bother yourself with these things. It's still so far away in the very, very distant future. What made you think about those anyway?"

Merlin sighed as he looked up in the sky. Actually, he doesn't even know why he did in the first place. It's just that, one morning he woke up fretting over these things that he knows, logically, is still so far away in the future. But still, it bugs the hell out of him. He can't tell that to Morgana though, he doesn't want to worry her. But if he didn't tell her, she'd pressure him into confessing. He had already seen that happen with Arthur and Gwaine, poor blokes still rubbing their ears whenever they remembered that. So he did the most reasonable thing to do: just let it out in the open. He still wants to be alive to see his grandchildren, thank you very much.

But despite his slight fear, he smiled.

"To be honest, I don't even know why I thought of those in the first place. I just woke up with those thoughts one day. But you're right, as usual; we're still young to think about that."

"I see"

It was now Morgana's turn to ponder because she too, couldn't help but think about those things. They were silent for a while, just watching the clouds float above their heads. That is, until Morgana decided to break the silence.

"Can you promise me something Merlin?"

Merlin was about to fall asleep when he heard Morgana's voice. With his eyes still closed, he answered her.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Always stay in my life, don't go away, no matter what"

He opened his eyes in surprise and sat up, looking at her incredulously.

"Of course I'd be in your life! That's a stupid thought Morgana!"

She also sat up and opened her mouth to retort but Merlin cut her off.

"Even if you didn't make me promise you, I'd still be in your life as long as you want me to be. We're like two peas in a pod," Merlin made a horrible impressions of two peas, making Morgana laugh. Seeing her smile makes him happy. "Inseparable, you know? I'm not going to leave you I'll stay, no matter what. Pinky promise"

He held up his right pinky finger as proof, Morgana stared at her with deadpanned eyes.

"Pinky… Promise?"

"Yeah"

"You do know that we're not five anymore, right?"

"I know," He took this chance to link their pinky fingers together. "So, promise?"

"Yes, me too; I promise to stay, no matter what. As long as you want me to"

15 years old

"Merlin, what's the capital of Russia again? It's Uzbekistan right?"

Morgana asked, chewing the end of her pen absent-mindedly while trying to concentrate on the questionnaire before her. Currently, the two of them are in her house's living room, with Merlin trying to tutor her with Geography. It's not working well.

"Morgana… I've already told you before, it's Moscow. Uzbekistan is another country."

"Oh… thanks for the heads up."

Morgana caught a glimpse of Merlin rubbing his temples, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh yes, sure… laugh." He grinned mischievously. "If you're so sure about yourself, where is Fiji located then?"

"That's in Asia right?"

He laughed out loud.

"Eeeh. Wrong answer. The correct answer is it's located in Polynesia."

She scowled and threw a nearby throw pillow at him, smacking him right in the face. It was then her turn to laugh. He retaliated by throwing another pillow in her direction but he missed because she ducked. Their pillow war had begun. A lot of feathers were flying around the room.

They were still throwing pillows at each other when Morgause, Morgana's older sister, and her mother arrived. Morgause covered her mouth to stifle out her laughter while Ygraine shook her head and sighed in exasperation. But despite that, there's a smile tucked on her lips. But it was gone as soon as it came.

"Ehem! Morgs, Merlin."

The two stopped and looked at the two new arrivals with eyes as wide as saucers. Both are frozen and rooted at the spot. Ygraine put both her hands on her waist and frowned at the two in disapproval. Behind her, Morgause is silently laughing.

"What are you two doing?"

The two dropped the pillows in their hands and quickly pointed at each other, shouting at the same time.

"She/He started it!"

They both accused. But Ygraine would have none of it, and ordered the two to clean up the whole room with Morgause. ("Why!? I didn't do anything!" "You were laughing at them, dear")

18 years old

'I think the rain won't stop any time soon'

Morgana thought as she huddled closer in the corner with Merlin. Merlin was currently snoozing off. The two of them right now are stuck in their classroom, and it's already been three hours since they were 'accidentally' locked up together, courtesy of Gwaine.

'Now that I think about it, when we got out of here, the first thing I'll do is to kill Gwaine.'

She turned her head to look over her best friend, Merlin. Although the latter is unaware of it; she gently brushed away some stray hair on his face and smiled softly, with a tinge of sadness in them. She is in love, with the young man sleeping beside her. She felt tears running down her face. It's both a blessing and a curse to be Merlin's friend. A blessing, since she could be with him as much as she wants and a curse because she can't have him like she wants.

She sniffed and wiped her tears away silently, as much as she loves him, she can't destroy a person's happiness. Because she'd rather be stuck being his friend forever, if it's to ensure that he'll be in her life. She knows and is aware that he doesn't look at her that way, but it's fine, as long as she have him in her life that is enough for her.

24 years old

Merlin clapped his hands enthusiastically, proud of his best friend. Today, Morgana had just gotten her long dreamed and awaited Pulitzer Award.

"First of all, I would like to thank the God above and every one of us here knows why." A lot of people laughed at her comment and she continued. "Next is my family, who supported me whole-heartedly with my dream, albeit they tend to tease me about it sometimes." She earned another round of laughter with Arthur's being the loudest. "And of course, my friends who stuck with me till the very end. Lastly, the people who supported and believed in my works thank you very much!"

After the ceremony, almost everyone huddled together around Morgana and congratulated her. Merlin smiled and when it was his turn to congratulate her, a colleague of hers approached them and asked Morgana is she would be interested to be her partner about some investigation or something. (He doesn't know much about her line of work, but he does have a pretty much good guess on what it is about)

He was forced to be on the sidelines looking over her, the familiar yet alien feeling envelop him. He shouldn't be jealous, he's just her friend. He doesn't have any rights. Besides, they're just friends and he's getting married in a couple of weeks from now. It's not right for him to feel this.

28 years old

Morgana knocked on the door and peaked a little with a mischievous grin. The couple inside smiled back at her, she then proceeded to enter the room.

"Okay, where's my newest goddaughter?"

Freya giggled and lifted her new baby a little for Morgana to see. Morgana stepped forward and asked if she could carry the baby, the couple agreed.

"Aww… she's so precious! I'm so glad that she didn't inherit your large ears Merlin, it would be a disaster if that happened."

"Oi…"

"Me too Morgana, I'm glad Lois didn't have it. No offence love, but your ears are rather large. Even though they are adorable"

Morgana nodded in agreement and both women laughed while Merlin shook his head, chuckling, despite himself. The three of the precious people in his life are here, and he couldn't really wish for everything else.

45 years old

"I can't believe that time flies by so fast, I remember holding Lois in my arms as a baby and now, she's going to her first date. I wish Freya's here to see this"

Morgana patted her friend by the shoulder and Merlin gave her a small smile.

"I'm sure that she would be proud of how you're handling this pretty well."

"Ah…"

55 years old

"Freya, I know that you already know. But I just want to personally tell you. I'm glad to have met you, I'm glad to have loved you; I'm glad that you were part of my life. But, it's now time for me to let go. I'm sure that that's what you want. I think… I'm ready to love another now, or rather, to accept the fact that I love Morgana. I know that you knew that, I read your diary. I'm sorry about that. Lois is now in college by the way, she took up the same degree as you: Fine Arts. She said that she wants to have the same degree as you did. She's doing fine. She also just got engaged to Arthur and Gwen's son, Jesse. You know, there's not a single day that I never think about you. I love you very much. But like what Lois has so lovingly and sarcastically said, it's time for me to let go. Goodbye, Freya."

Merlin broke down and cried with Morgana holding him close. She was also crying.

80 years old

"Merlin, do you still remember the promise that we made when we were eleven?"

Merlin wryly grinned and nodded. Tears are already building up in his old eyes.

"How could I forget? I forced you to make a pinky promise with me."

Morgana nodded as she held his wrinkly hands with hers.

"Yes. We promised that we'd be with each other's life for as long as the other wants."

"And we did just that. Morgana,"

"Yes Merlin?"

"I've always….. wanted to say this….. I want you to know…. I love you"

Morgana smiled with tears streaming down her old face. She huddled closer to him and he did the same.

"Me too…" He kissed her on the forehead, holding each other as tightly as they can. "I love… you… Merlin"

When Lois opened the door to her parents' room, she saw them together in their bed. Hugging each other close. She felt her tears run down her face. She knew, right then and there, that the two are now gone.

"But… at least they are now together at last, love"

Jesse softly murmured as he held his grieving wife close.