A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and favourited the last chapter! I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy this chapter.

"You should get a cat."

Morgana stops typing and looks up from her perch at the counter. It's shortly after midnight, and despite her determination to make it through the night on her own, she'd stopped in at the coffee shop after spending the entirety of her afternoon and evening at the library. The same group of undergraduates is back from earlier in the month, forcing her to take over the counter bar with her laptop and books.

Merlin is leaning against the opposite side of the counter, perched over a copy of the local paper, his free hand lingering near her keyboard.

"I'm sorry?"

Merlin places a finger on the page in front of him and stops reading to meet her gaze as he repeats himself, "I think you should get a cat."

Not an ounce of humour laces his voice, and Morgana's mouth begins to twist into a wry, half smile. "Are you trying to say that I strike you as a cat person?"

Merlin smirks back her at her. "No. Yes? An unconventional one, perhaps? But that's not why I'm suggesting it."

She quirks her brow. "You have my attention."

He points to his spot on the page. "I just read an announcement about an unwanted litter of kittens at the animal shelter, and it made me think about a study I was reading on how -"

"How can they have an unwanted litter of kittens?"

Merlin smirks. "Not a cat person?"

Morgana shrugs. She was one, had had a fluffy tabby cat as a child, but Uther had gotten rid of the animal when she'd moved in with him, and pets had quickly become a thing of the past. "Just tell me about the poor, little kittens."

"They're an unconventional breed, and the announcement says the shelter is going to need to put them down if they don't get adopted by the end of the week."

"That's awful! How unconventional can they be that people don't want fluffy, little kittens?"

"That's just it. They aren't fluffy. They're sphinx cats."

Morgana's eyes light up, and remembering the fascination she had with the animals several years earlier, she asks, "Those adorable, hairless cats? Like the one they had on Friends?"

Merlin laughs pushing away from the counter. "The one they thought was inside out? that hissed and clawed at everyone?"

She grins and nods. "That one. I've wanted one of those ever since! When can we go?" She hits save and shuts her laptop.

"I thought you'd need more convincing than that. You don't even want to hear about the study?"

"Is it about how having a pet can significantly lower stress levels?"

"Yes."

"Then I've read it." She grins and hops off the bar stool, reaching for her things.

"Where are you going?"

She looks up from buttoning her coat to find Merlin bemusedly frowning at her.

"To the animal shelter?"

"It's after midnight, Morgana."

"They're going to kill innocent kittens."

"They're probably closed."

"Merlin."

"Morgana."

"You're infuriating."

"I came up with the idea!"

"And now you don't think I should go!"

"Because," he pauses and pulls out his phone and does a quick search, before continuing, "they are indeed closed, and you need to make sure you have everything you need before you bring the cat home."

"How much stuff can a cat possibly need?"

"You'd be surprised." Merlin beams, and the agitation begins to leave her. "Listen, if you still want to adopt the cat -"

"Cats."

Merlin quirks a brow but continues, "Cats in the morning, then I'll go with you and help you set up."

"Okay." She sits back down, coat still buttoned up, and smiles at him, somehow feeling calm again. "I'm sorry for getting…" She trails off and gestures with a single hand. "It's just that the thought of innocent creatures getting killed just because they're different is too much."

Arthur's affectionate eye rolls and Uther's exasperated sighs at her causes rush through her mind, and she almost expects Merlin to show similar judgement. She knows better, and yet, despite everything he's done and said to suggest that he shares her views, she finds her breath catching in her throat as the look in his eyes simultaneously softens and lights up and his voice fills with such compassion when he says a quiet, "I know."

"You do?"

"Of course. It's honestly why I brought it up. I knew I could count on you to save the day."

"I thought you brought it up because it would help me sleep?"

His expression curls into one of amusement. "Who says you can't do both at the same time?"

She gives him a close-mouthed smile and looks down to where their hands lay on the counter. They're only centimetres away, and she moves to place hers over his. "Thank you."

"You need to stop thanking me, Morgana."

She looks back up to him then, coaxed by the lowered cadence of his voice, and there's no denying what she's known for days if not weeks. She's falling for Merlin quickly, deeply, if she hasn't fallen already. She squeezes his hand, and they both stay quiet until one of the students woots across the shop and draws their attention away.

They roll their eyes at each other, and Merlin grins. "I might adopt one of the kittens, too."

"Won't Gaius mind?"

Merlin shrugs. "I'm sure he'd understand, and besides, I'm not going to live with him forever."

She nods and looks down, fidgeting with the zipper on her emerald green laptop case.

"What is it?"

She shrugs and hopes the rush of emotions fighting to come to the surface will stave off before she further embarrasses herself in front of Merlin. With Arthur and Gwen gone and the world still falling apart around her, she doesn't want to think of anything else changing.

Taking a deep breath, she says, "It's nothing. I should probably go to sleep. I have a thesis workshop in the morning."

Merlin cringes. "Group or one on one?"

"Group." Morgana rolls her eyes. "I'm just glad it's almost over."

"Well we'll make up for it afterwards."

"With kittens?" she asks, smirking.

"With kittens. What time do you finish?"

"At half past ten. We can meet here at around eleven? You don't have class tomorrow?"

He shakes his head with a grin. "I'm all yours."

"Excellent." Smiling, she leans across the counter and pecks him on the cheek. "Good night, then."

"Good night, Morgana."

She picks up her already-packed bag and hops off the barstool and makes to step towards the door.

"And Morgana?"

She turns back around to find the flirty expressions gone and raises her brow.

"I'm here if you need anything." He nods towards the group of students. "I'll make them leave in a heartbeat."

Her stomach flips, and she gives him a lopsided smile. "Thank you, Merlin."

They meet in front of the coffee shop the next morning, she after her thesis workshop and he after having slept in. He's wearing a ridiculous knit, green hat against the cold and looks scruffier than she's seen him, and though she laughs at the sight of him, she kisses him on the cheek and loops her arm through his.

He pulls her closer, as if there's nothing to it, and she wonders how and when they'd slipped into this state of intimacy. They aren't together; they technically aren't anything more than very close friends, but she knows they look like a couple to the outside world.

She squeezes his arm and leads the way towards the animal shelter, wondering if she can persuade him to stop at an old café for a late breakfast on their way there. She'd had nothing more than coffee and a scone Gaius had slipped into her order that morning, and she's famished.

"How was the rest of your shift?"

"Deathly quiet. I take it you finally slept through the night?"

She hums in vague acquiescence and gives him a small smile. She'd slept for the few hours that she'd been able to, but her dreams had stopped her from resting, dragging her from one nightmare scenario to another and refusing her the refuge of consciousness. She doesn't want to tell him though and make him think her even more troubled than she is.

He doesn't question her agreement, and asks, "How was the workshop?"

"Brilliant!" At that, she grins. The workshop had made up for her night, and given her the boost she needed. "Well, I was brilliant. The others, not so much." She knows she sounds cocky, but the professor's praises still ring in her ear and she's particularly happy with how the session had gone.

Merlin bumps her side and looks down at her with a smile that rivals hers. "I'm not at all surprised."

"You haven't even read my latest chapter yet."

"Can I?"

"Of course."

They ramble on about their respective mornings until Morgana spots the café, nestled between a bookshop and a florist's.

"Morgana, you can't adopt all of them!"

"But they're so cute!" Only four of the kittens are left by the time they get to the animal shelter. The tiniest, palest one attaches himself to Morgana, purring every time she passes him by, and she finally scoops him up in her arms. "Look how cute he is, Merlin!"

"He's adorable." He reaches over and scratches the kitten between his ears, and it purrs, pushing against his hand. "We should definitely take him home." He pauses, reddening, and then quickly reforms his sentence, " You should definitely take him home."

She gives him a close-mouthed smile, pulse quickening at his mistake, and hands the kitten over to him. "And this one!" She reaches for another kitten, but its brother loudly hisses in Merlin's arms as it crawls onto her palm.

Merlin bursts out laughing and the kitten returns to purring as Morgana puts the other one down. "They're all adorable, but this one won't even let the others near you!"

Morgana pouts, and the assistant who'd led them over to the kittens explains that the breed tends to be jealous. "We don't advise couples to adopt more than one. Just the one can get jealous of either of you, but he seems to be taken with both of you."

"Oh, we don't live -" Merlin begins, flushing, but looks to Morgana and stops at her grin.

The assistant smirks and steps away, promising to call them if none of the other kittens are adopted by the end of the week, and they leave the shelter with the only one cat in tow.

"What should we name him?"

"He's your cat, Morgana."

She walks over to the sofa and sets two steaming cups of tea onto the table before it. "You're the one sprawled on the ground with him."

It's late in the afternoon, and they're back in Morgana's flat, surrounded by cat toys and pillows, and Merlin is lying on the plush, dark red carpet before the fireplace, stomach down and waving a feathered toy in front of the kitten.

She eyes the sofa, but settles on the ground beside them. The kitten mews and drops the toy in favour of Morgana. "You're possessive, aren't you?" she teases and picks it up.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"He's so pale, I think maybe the name should have something to do with the light, maybe? And something medieval."

Merlin hums and tries to lure the kitten away with the feather. "You could name him after a manuscript illumination. Manilu or something."

"Very funny."

"I was just reading about a white dragon associated to the light. He saves a sorceress and bonds with her when she thinks all is lost. They live in the woods together."

Morgana stills. "I know that story."

Merlin pushes himself up and crawls into a sitting position inches away from her. "You've read it, too?" His eyes sparkle, and he adds, "I found it in a rare manuscript, but it seems more in line with your research."

Morgana wordlessly shakes her head. She scratches the kitten between its ears and takes a deep breath. "I dreamt it. I've dreamt that story several times."

"Maybe you read about it somewhere and it just worked its way into your subconscious?"

"Maybe," she whispers. "It is a nice dream though, at least in comparison to the others. What's the dragon called in your story?"

"Aithusa."

Her breath hitches at the name, its familiarity echoing through her. She hadn't heard it in the dream, but there's no denying that it's a name she knows wells.

"Morgana?"

Merlin is frowning at her when she looks up, and she forces her lips to curve into a reassuring smile, not wanting to burden him with whatever's happening to her. "Sorry. It's perfect. I've just definitely heard it before. What do you think?" She turns her gaze towards the kitten and lifts it into the air. "Do you want to be Aithusa?"

"He does look like an Aithusa."

"He does."

"And he's bound to be as loyal of a pet as the dragon."

"I hope so…" she trails off, placing the Aithusa on the carpet beside her and reaching over for the cups of tea. "I always wake up feeling calmer after those dreams, even if I see the most terrible things beforehand." She hands Merlin his cup and takes a sip out of her own. "Ugh. I don't even know why I bother with tea."

"You don't like it?" Merlin questions before taking a sip of his own.

"I do, but I know it isn't going to be of any use, and the knowledge is starting to make it taste bad."

"I could never live without tea, but I know what you mean. I can't have it if I have work to get done."

"Exactly."

"It's a good thing we both have the day off then."

They forget the time, trading stories and turns playing with Aithusa, and they end up sprawling out in front of the fireplace long after the kitten falls asleep.

"This is nice," Merlin murmurs, leaning against the table beside her, legs stretched out .

"It is," Morgana agrees. She's lying on her back, eyes closed, on the verge of falling asleep, and feeling far more at home than she has in weeks. "I think I'm going to keep the flat."

"Yeah?"

"Uther was rarely home, and Mum loved it here. Arthur loved it here. I shouldn't have to let it go because Uther tried to ruin everything. I can redecorate and just get rid of every trace of Uther."

"That sounds like a good solution."

"I'll keep all of our stuff and Mum's. I think Arthur would agree."

"Have you heard from him?"

She shakes her head and flips onto her stomach. "I think he's still holed up with Gwen somewhere, but I haven't heard from either of them in over a week." Merlin gives her a sad smile, and she adds, "I can't say I blame them. I'd want to go off and hide in either of their situations. I do want to go off and hide because of all of this, without the pain they have. I just don't want them to feel like they're coming back to a hostile place when they do. If they do."

"Do you have anything from Arthur's mum left for him?"

Morgana lets out a puff of air, quietly laugh. "Ah, that's where it gets complicated. Arthur's mum is my mum."

"You're half-siblings! I thought you were step-siblings."

Morgana shakes her head, hair falling the rest of the way out of the messy bun she'd put it into. "We aren't even that. We're full siblings."

Merlin frowns, taking a moment to answer, "But that would make Uther your father?"

"My biological one, yes, but not my legal one."

"I don't understand."

"Really, the only thing you need to understand is that Uther is the worst type of man that there is. He and my dad - my legal father, were best friends. They were business partners and everything, and Uther betrayed him like he betrayed Tom. Except that instead of framing him for a crime, he seduced my mum while my dad was away on a trip. And then a few months after I was born, Mum left my dad for Uther, and they had Arthur. He isn't even a full year younger than me."

Merlin looks visibly taken aback, but he keeps his voice even and asks, "And you?"

"My dad fought to keep me, and he did, but then when I was six, Uther wanted him out of the company and told him the truth about me, and I went to live with him and Mum."

"And that's why you call him your stepfather."

Morgana nods. "He may be responsible for my existence, and I may have lived with him for most of my life, but he isn't the man who loved me when I was a kid. I was a pawn to him, and he'd have no trouble using me as one again."
Merlin doesn't answer, but reaches out towards her but drops his hand midway, at a loss. "Do you still see your dad?"

"He's dead."

"Morgana..." Merlin trails off.

She swallows, picking at a loose thread in the carpet. "He killed himself after he found out." She'd only ever told Gwen the truth about the circumstances of his death, having found it out for herself shortly after her mum had died.

Uther had done everything to conceal the truth, and Gorlois's death had been covered in the media as a premature heart attack. She'd only found out because she'd begun suspecting Uther of unethical behaviour and had cracked the code to his safe when he'd gone away on a trip and left her alone. She'd never told Arthur, not wanting to add to his own problems with Uther.

"I'm so sorry."

She shrugs. "It was a long, long time ago."

"That doesn't make it any easier."

She remembers what Merlin had said about losing his own father, and she swallows. "No, it doesn't. But being able to tell someone does."

Merlin smiles. "Thank you for telling me."

She smiles back, extremely thankful for his presence in her life. Another wave of emotions begin to rush to the surface, and not wanting to deal with them, she pushes off the ground and holds her hand out to him. "Pasta always helps, too. Come on."

Merlin laughs and hops up. "I thought you were going to cook?"

"I am! But you're going to keep me company, and," she pauses to dig through the handbag she'd tossed onto the sofa and pulls out her phone, "you're going to find music for us to listen to."