A/n. A bit of a shorter chapter, but much more dialogue than the last one. Hope you like it!


Merlin had been sitting out on the lake for hours, entertaining himself with little magic tricks here and there, but was now beginning to fall asleep. He'd been thinking about his old life back in Camelot and how he wished he could have done something to save Arthur and the kingdom when it fell. He always did that, blaming himself for everything, Gaius would have slapped him round the head for it, and he laughed, Gaius would have hit him around the head for lots of things!

As Merlin began to fall asleep he was woken by a surge in the magic around the lake, standing up he tried to balance in the small boat. Suddenly a bright light shining from nowhere at all caused Merlin to take a few steps back, making the boat to rock dangerously. Blinking away the light Merlin looked to the bottom of the boat in astonishment. Lying there in full armour was Arthur Pendragon, breathing, healed and alive.

"Arthur! Your back! Oh my god I must be dreaming this can't be real!" Merlin yelled in his excitement.

"Merlin, will you please shut up you idiot!" Arthur replied to Merlin's outbreak. Sitting up Arthur looked around and took in his surroundings; he was sitting in a small brown wooden boat on the middle of the Lake of Avalon. He looked at Merlin, who was smiling and nearly crying with delight, he was such a girl ! This thought made Arthur laugh, and Merlin scowl with confusion.

"What's so funny you prat?!"

"Your such a girl Merlin seriously, just because I've been gone for quite a few thousand years, doesn't give you an excuse to cry!" Arthur joked, knowing Merlin caught on to the fact about Arthur knowing how long he been in Avalon and away from the mortal world.

"Yes, it does Arthur, I've waited for over 1500 years for you to return, so don't have ago at me for crying with joy." Merlin replied angrily. "So, how much do you know of the modern day?" He finally asked.

"Everything," Arthur said

"How-no actually I'm not going to ask," Merlin said hugging his knees.

"Well I'll tell you anyway, Freya-" At this Merlin's head shot up. "Yeah, she's nice and it's sad she um...died." Arthur knew then he had to apologise, so before Merlin could say anything he launched into an apology. "Merlin, I'm sorry, I killed her and I have no idea how you can't hate me for that...I'm just so sorry."

Merlin looked at him, with tears in his eyes, "I know." Was all he said, before gathering himself and silently lifting the oars and rowing back to the shore. Merlin led Arthur to his cottage, still not saying a word, and Arthur knew he had to give Merlin time to come to terms with Arthur's return and apology. Inside Merlin told Arthur to go up stairs to wash and change into something more appropriate for the modern day.

Downstairs Merlin prepared some food for Arthur and him to eat; he tried to use mostly organic food that he had brought with him from London, but it wasn't easy with a few carrots, a packet of wilted salad and some cheese. Instead he chopped up some potatoes and oven roasted them, hoping Arthur would know they were supposed to be chips. When Arthur came down they ate in silence for the better part of the meal, and in the end it was Merlin who broke the silence. "So, are you going to finish telling me about your time in Avalon or am I going to be left hanging all night?" He said with a small smile, which Arthur took to be progression.

"Well..." For the rest of the night Arthur explain about his time in Avalon, how he'd watched his kingdom fall to Norman's and how his beautiful wife had died. And how everyone else, the knights, Gaius and Hunith, had died as well, how he watched civilisations rise and fall. How science was used to invent many new things, all of which he wanted to try out or at least have a look at. He also explained how he watched Merlin live and how he heard everything Merlin had said while sitting out on the lake over the years.

Merlin listened patiently and when Arthur was done said "Well, I suppose there's no point in telling you about my time is there?" Both friends went to bed that night smiling, pleased to be back together. But a tiny thought kept nagging a Merlin's mind, if Arthur was back, that meant Albion was in danger, but what was this new danger, and who or what was it?


A/n. If you feel this is a cliff-hanger please tell me and I will consider writing more chapters, but any ideas about what this new danger could be? I have no idea, please send me some ideas! :)