Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews on the last chapter. Been having some problems with the internet which is why this chapter is a bit late. But… here it is.

Hopes you enjoy this one. :P

Chapter 3

Merlin woke very early the next morning. He didn't know whether it was the dread of seeing that prat, or whether he was nervous about starting the case. Either way, he did not dwell on it for long as he quickly got dressed and sat at the kitchen bench chomping his weet-bix when Gwen walked in yawning.

"My goodness Merlin. I thought I heard someone. What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," Merlin said getting up and putting his plate in the sink.

"Why? You nervous about something?"

"Just the jitters of this new case I guess. It's pretty important you know."

"So I've heard," Gwen replied. Merlin smiled.

"Morgana told you. So that was who you were on the phone with last night."

"Yeah. You know this whole time that I have known her, I didn't know she worked for Arthur."

"Really?" Merlin said.

"Yeah, I guess it's something that people don't really like to share."

"I can guess why that is," Merlin murmured to himself. He stretched and then walked over to the door.

"Ok, so I have to go now."

"So soon? Merlin it's still too early," Gwen said.

"Yeah, but I wanted to stop by the station before I go to Arthur's office. You know, just to sort out some stuff for while I am not there." Gwen nodded.

"I'm sure Freya can sort it out. She's smarter than all of those guys put together." Merlin shook his head.

"I still don't understand how you two have not met," he said smiling. She shrugged.

"Well, maybe we should." Merlin decided to end that conversation there. He kissed Gwen on the cheek and headed off to the station.

***

"Good morning everyone!" Merlin said cheerfully as he walked through the doors of the fire station.

"Morning captain," Valiant said, walking past with a coffee and patting him on the back.

"How's everything going around here?"

"Everything's good so far. We got that computer that you wanted fixed last night, the hose on truck 5 is being repaired as we speak, and that new vending machine-"

"Thanks Val, I don't need to hear about the vending machine," Merlin said smiling.

"Oh right, sorry captain."

"No worries. No that's good. Number five is one of the upgraded trucks so I'm happy that that was done so quickly."

"Yeah. Freya made sure that they did it as quick as possible," Valiant said.

"Speaking of Freya, where is that girl?"

"I'm right here," Freya said running around the corner. She smiled widely when she saw Merlin.

"Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you were on a very important case for the next couple of weeks."

"Yeah, but I just wanted to make sure that you guys had everything organised and under control."

"You don't have to worry about us captain," Valiant said, "We have everything out of control."

"You mean everything under control," Freya said. Valiant looked back at Merlin who was chuckling.

"You know what I mean!" was the best that he could come up with before walking away. Merlin shook his head and turned back to Freya.

"So it looks like you've really stepped it up in my absence Freya."

"Yeah you know me Merlin. I just want everything to go smoothly while you are not here."

"You are such a control freak and you couldn't stand it if these hunks of male do not do their jobs properly which would then look bad on you which would then look bad on me as well as the entire station?"

"I love how you look after me," Merlin said.

"Well, I am your big sister," she said, "I have to look after you. It's my job." Merlin slid down the fire pole and into his office, which was as messy as he had left it. He heard Freya groan when she walked in.

"You know you should really clean this office," she said, "I don't know how you find anything."

"Well," Merlin said walking over to Freya and patting her on the back, "it is your job to look after me."

"Excuse me? I am your personal assistant and secretary not your slave. You clean that yourself." Merlin walked out the door.

"Ok Freya. See you later."

"Merlin you're an idiot!"

"I know!" she heard shortly after.

***

Merlin walked into the C.B.I headquarters at exactly five minutes to nine. He did not expect to be early, nor did he expect the headquarters to be so… sophisticated. He knew that it was a very high level of detective work, but he had not seen one person smiling the moment he walked into the building. He was every scared of the receptionist, and she was supposed to be the friendly face.

He walked over to her and introduced himself.

"Arthur's office is straight down that hall and the last door on the right," she said monotonically.

"Um… thank you," Merlin said nervously turning off towards the hall.

He met the large black door exactly where the receptionist told him. He knocked on the door and waited. Just when Merlin thought there was no one there, the door swung open to reveal a shocked Arthur standing in the doorway.

"Merlin," he said, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we were going to…"

"LANCE!"

Merlin heard footsteps from down the hall and then puffing.

"Yeah boss?"

"I thought I told you to call Merlin to tell him to meet us at the site?"

"Oh yeah," Lance said scratching his head, "I knew I forgot something yesterday."

Arthur groaned and turned back to Merlin.

"Um… if you want me to go, if I'm invading some privacy I can leave."

"No," Arthur said, moving aside, "come in." Merlin walked in, leaving Arthur to death stare Lance in the hallway for a while until he got the message to leave.

"Hey," Lance called, "I said I was sorry."

"You're going to be sorry very soon," Arthur said and shut the door behind him.

***

Merlin had thought about what Arthur's office would have looked like, and he was would have never thought that he would have been so wrong.

Arthur's office was one of the tidiest that Merlin had every seen. All the files were packed, the desk was clean, and all the books on the bookshelf were arranged in alphabetical order. Nothing seemed to be out of place.

"What are you looking at?" Arthur asked.

"Oh nothing. This is one of the tidiest rooms I've ever seen." Arthur smiled, a genuine smile which for some reason, made Merlin slightly uncomfortable.

"I had a lot of time on my hands a little while back," Arthur said, "so I decided that I would clean my desk so I would not lose anything."

"Enough time to put your books in alphabetical order?" Merlin asked.

"Yeah. It's what my mother did," the other man almost whispered. Merlin watched him closely for a few seconds. Arthur had let his guard down right in front of him and Merlin could have chosen to ask a few questions in that time. But he chose to remain silent.

"Are we… going to go?" Merlin decided on at last. Arthur shook his head, almost trying to come back to reality.

"Um… yeah I'll just get my stuff." Arthur walked over to a pile of files on the other side of the room. Merlin had expected him to pick up to whole pile, but to his astonishment, Arthur closed his eyes and flicked through the sheets of paper. He could hear him counting to himself. After a while, Arthur opened his eyes and pulled out three pieces of paper from the pile. He looked up to see Merlin staring at him in astonishment.

"What?" he asked.

"You really have a way of remembering where things are," Merlin said.

"I find the way that works for me and if other people have a problem with that then-"

"No," Merlin interrupted, "I thinks it's fascinating."

"Fascinating?" Arthur said raising an eyebrow. "That's what people call insane people when they watch them in glass rooms."

"I didn't mean it like that. I don't think you're mad just… highly perceptive."

"It's OK Emrys. You don't have to try and cover your arse."

"No really," Merlin started.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just go." Arthur walked over to the door and opened it for Merlin. Merlin rolled his eyes and walked out, Arthur shutting the door behind them.

***

Another chapter down. I know some people might be a bit weird about Freya being Merlin's sister. But I wanted to make sure that she had absolutely no chance of getting with Merlin in this story because he belongs to Arthur! :P

Please review… PLEASE!!!

Next chapter should be up soon.

Until next time,

Xox

emiliexox