(Authors Note: Still don't own anything. Reunion time!)
Part 3 Birds In Flight
Gwaine opened the door and helped me limp across the threshold. I could swear my knees were knocking. I had in the past seven years done things may times more dangerous than this without even flinching, yet it was this that had me wanting to bolt. What if he didn't recognize me? Gwaine had but that could have been a fluke. What if he was still mad at me? I would be mad at me. What if worst of all, he didn't remember me? That thought froze my blood.
"Gaius! Got a surprise patient for you. Seems to have bruised his shin on something, probably my foot." He laughed and I grinned nervously. Gaius came out from behind the partition and sighed.
"Really Gwaine? Again?" He stopped looking me over, something indefinable in his eyes. My hood was still up. He walked over slowly and looked me up and down again.
"Right let's see that shin then." My heart sank. He didn't recognize me. I felt tears prick at my eyes. I pulled up my pants leg and he looked at it then rubbed some salve on it.
"Gods Merlin you of all people should know not to pick a fight with Gwaine." My heart jumped into my throat as he pushed back my hood, smiling.
"My boy!" He hugged me and I hugged him back tears flowing down my face. He remembered me.
"I've missed you so much. You are never allowed to do that again! You had me half convinced you were dead. Why did you leave?" Wiping away my tears I glanced at where Gwaine had been standing, he had turned his back to give us a moment of privacy.
"Gwaine do you mind? I need to talk to Gaius for a while." He nodded looking slightly put out.
"I will eventually get that reason out of you, you know that right?" I nodded and he left.
"Don't worry I won't tell anyone you're back." He said forestalling my request. He closed the door and I immediately began to explain everything that had happened from why I had left to why I was back. Gaius was quiet the whole time.
"Please don't be mad at me Gaius! I know it was stupid and selfish and I shouldn't have done it but I had to. I didn't want you or anyone else hurt because of me or my magic. I'm sorry." He hugged me again.
"You know sometimes I think Arthurs right about you . You really are an idiot sometimes. " He was smiling again. I had missed him so much.
"You'd better get back down to the tavern if you're going to keep up this pretence. I'll see what I can find out about recognizing shifters." That reminded me, I dug around in my pack.
"Here!" I handed him two books. One the old book I had borrowed from him, the other all the things I had encountered on my travels.
"Thank you Merlin. It's so good to have you back."
"So does that mean you'll be cheering for me in the tournament?" Gaius laughed a little.
"Remember out there it's Robin, for now. Got to find the shifter before I can come all the way home." Gaius nodded. I got the feeling he was just happy to see me alive.
{Lancelot's POV}
I hadn't seen Gwaine this happy since he had convinced the barmaid that he could get all his drinks for free.
"What's got you so happy?" Gwaine started almost guiltily.
"Oh nothing, just went bird watching today." I raised an eyebrow.
"Bird watching?"
"Yep. Saw some very nice ones. Big Merlin, almost full grown I'd say. Oh and a Robin." I raised my eyebrow even higher.
"A Merlin huh?" He nodded and wandered off whistling tunelessly. I smiled to myself, so the wayward scamp had returned? Good. Now I just had to find him and convince him to stay.
