A/N A missing scene from episode 2x4 'Lancelot and Guinevere' when they come across Morgana in the woods. I've tried to keep them in character but may have lost it in pursuit of MerlinxMorgana.

Thoughtful

Arthur had warned him away from Morgana, far, far away, as was his right, of course. Merlin knew that the King's ward was well above his station in terms of romantic interest. That hadn't been his intention though, surely? He was just delivering her flowers to make her feel better. He was just visiting her rooms to reassure her. He wasn't romantically involved. That would be foolish. It would be like Arthur falling in love with Gwen. Totally unimaginable.

So why then, when it was announced that the Lady Morgana had not returned from her pilgrimage, did he feel panic seize his gut and twist mercilessly? He told himself that it was fear for a friend, and indeed he was fearful for Gwen. He couldn't imagine not having her around. She was the voice of reason and calm, bringing balanced wisdom to his decisions. She was the steady hand that quietened the conflicting voices of his conscience, Gaius and the Dragon. Yet it was Morgana's absence that caused the invisible hand to press on his chest. It was the thought of not seeing her again that closed his throat until he was sure he was suffocating.

As they checked the tracks, and feared the worst, Merlin felt his heart pounding furiously against his chest as he berated himself for not teaching her some magic that she could have used to defend herself. If anything had happened to her he knew he would carry the guilt for the rest of his days. That small voice would eternally whisper to him, "if only..." and colour every decision he would ever make. He couldn't show his distress of course. Not after what Arthur had said to him.

Crashing in the bushes sent the knights into a flurry of activity and Merlin held back, waiting, holding his breath. To everyone's surprise, and obvious relief, it was the Lady Morgana that came stumbling through the undergrowth, in only, Merlin stared, only her undergarments. The pressure on his chest released so suddenly that the rush of air made him dizzy.

"Where's Gwen?"

Merlin's attention snagged at the unusual first question Arthur asked, and since the prince didn't seem to be overly concerned about Morgana's state at the present time, and all the knights seemed to be in varying states of shocked staring or embarrassed eye avoidance, it was Merlin that moved first.

As Morgana looked despairingly at the Prince and as Arthur repeated the question with a voice tainted by what sounded suspiciously like the threads of panic, Merlin stepped forward. Shrugging off his jacket and walking past Arthur, he handed the garment over to Morgana, with his eyes averted and a blush creeping up his neck.

Morgana paused in recounting what had happened to take the jacket from Merlin and offer him a grateful smile. "Thank you Merlin," she uttered as she slipped the jacket over herself, tugging it shut at the front. "It's nice to see that someone is thoughtful." With that single sharp phrase that expressed her gratitude to him and needled the rest, Merlin knew that she was essentially unharmed, and breathed a sigh of relief.

In the next instant every knight in the forest, except Arthur, moved to unclasp his cloak, and she shook her head dismissively at them, refusing all, and pulling Merlin's closer to herself. "Too late, grand knights of Camelot, this is all I need."

"Don't be ridiculous Morgana," Arthur muttered undaunted as he dropped his cloak around her shoulders before helping her into the saddle of his horse, "you're freezing. Finish what you were saying about Gwen."

It was as they were making their slow way back to Uther, and as Merlin listened to Morgana's conversation with Arthur, her voice once more distressed, that it slowly began to dawn on him who the Prince was reminding him of. Merlin knew that he didn't need to worry about the King refusing to rescue Gwen because Arthur would do what was right and go after her anyway. He would just have to ask him later whether that really was the reason he was so anxious to get Gwen back, when they were too far away from the stocks or dungeon for Arthur to do anything about it.