Characters: Guinevere, Merlin, mentions of others
Pairings: Merlin/Gwen (friendship)
Rating: K
Timeline: Post 5x13
Summary: Gwen's haunted by the memory of people from her past until one of them returns home.
It was five months after Camlann and Guinevere felt like she was going insane. She felt like she was being haunted by her past. She stood on the balcony and could see herself in her old, purple servant's dress kissing Gwaine goodbye upon his cheek, she could look down a hallway and see herself sitting next to Elyan in a cell in Cenred's castle, she'd catch glimpses of herself hugging Morgana while she sat trying to do her work, Arthur would sit beside her on a throne and within the forest she could see them having a picnic, could see herself hugging Merlin after not seeing him for months. She knew it wasn't real, just memories. Afterall Morgana, Arthur, Gwaine and Elyan were dead and she hadn't seen Merlin since Camlann happened.
She stood by the window in her bedroom at night as she had done ever since Camlann. It was a little too Uther for Gaius' taste but Guinevere knew she had things to fight for: the kingdom Arthur wanted to build and passed on to her, Percival and Leon, the only remaining knights of the round table, who looked to her for guidance and the people of Camelot who looked to her for strength.
Not to mention the little present Arthur left for me. She thought rubbing her stomach which was swollen with her unborn child. She had things to fight for, to live for, yet she held onto the vein hope that Merlin would come back. She didn't think she could truly move on without him being by her side.
As she continued gazing out the glass, she caught sight of a figure walking towards the castle but the smoke from the torches obscured him a bit. She walked closer to the window and looked closer and then she recognized the figure: the brown jacket, blue shirt, neckerchief and those oh so familiar ridiculous ears. She blinked to make sure he was real and as he remained in her vision she felt the first true smile stretch across her face in five months.
He's home. She thought with satisfaction. Walking from her chamber to the steps below to greet him. He stared at her for a moment before speaking.
"I thought maybe you might need some help. The kid is going to be Arthur's afterall. I figured I'd better come back, also my mother kicked me out." Merlin said sheepishly.
"I'm pleased."
"That my mother kicked me out?" Merlin asked with a little confusion causing Gwen to laugh.
"No! That you're back. You've been missed." Gwen replied smiling. Merlin smiled back before he stepped forward and gathered Gwen in his arms.
"And I've missed you as well. I should've come sooner it's just that Arthur—"
"You don't have to explain to me now, we've got plenty of time." He nodded before holding her closer to him. Arthur did have a great destiny and he was the Once and Future King but he died and Gwen still had a destiny to fulfill herself as she was the Once and Future Queen, he knew he owed it to her and Arthur and himself and all those who died for Albion to help her see it through.