Author's Note:

Okay, I know I promised this chapter a week ago and I'm really sorry if I disappointed anyone by not having it ready on time. :( The holidays are busier then I expected them to be and A LOT has happened in the past week so I've been more distracted then I thought I would be.

I can tell you however, that this will be the last update before Christmas. I have house-guests coming to stay tomorrow and I have a lot of Crimbo-Stuff to get ready for the Big Day! So, since this is my last chance to say it, I hope you all have a FANTASTIC Christmas!

Thanks to all who reviewed - especially those I couldn't respond too since their reviews were anonymous or they had disabled the Private Messaging feature. :)

Merry Christmas all,

-VioletRose136

Chapter Four

Merlin had no idea where he was going until he had gone to the corner of Rhoad Island Avenue and hailed a cab. All he knew was that he had to get away from Will, as far away from Will as possible. It was after the Cabbie had cleared his throat several times after Merlin - panting with rage and sweating from running - had clambered into his back seat that Merlin realized he had to choose somewhere to go. One thought ran through his head: Prince Arthur. Arthur.

"Uh, Kennedy Hall at Georgetown University please," He said to the cabbie. He nodded and the cab pulled away from the curb.

Merlin's hands were shaking as he took out his phone. He dropped it on the floor twice before he actually managed to retrieve it and turn it on. After that, it took him at least three tries to type out the words on his screen.

I KNOW IT'S LATE... BUT CAN I COME OVER?

Merlin pressed send and waited. The cabbie took a look in his rear-view mirror at Merlin's completely torn up form.

"Hey buddy, are you all right?" His eyebrows furrowed. The guy - he looked about eighteen or nineteen- looked like a real mess. Was he drunk? Or was he having some sort of seizure? The cabbie debated pulling over and calling an ambulance.

The guy nodded. "Yeah... crazy night,"

The cabbie laughed. "I know... had about three trips to the hospital. Dunno why people thought it'd be a good idea to hail a cab rather than call an ambulance."

Merlin felt his phone buzz in his hand and looked down.

OF COURSE...WHAT'S WRONG? HAS SOMETHING HAPPENED?

Calmed by the knowledge that he would soon see Arthur, Merlin's hands were much steadier as he typed his reply.

YEAH. IT WASN'T PRETTY. I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT WHEN I SEE YOU.

The response came almost instantly.

OKAY. ARE YOU OKAY? DO YOU WANT COFFEE READY?

Merlin smiled and typed.

COFFEE? IS THERE A TWENTY FOUR HOUR STARBUCKS I DON'T KNOW ABOUT? AND YEAH, I'LL BE FINE.

Arthur's response was almost instant.

MY DARLING FATHER HAS SUPPLIED ME WITH A STATE OF THE ART COFFEE MACHINE - ANY MORE QUESTIONS?

Merlin looked out the window, they were nearing the University. Leaning forward, he saw the price on the dashboard of the cab and nearly had a stroke. Merlin had a thought, typed it into his phone, blushed and deleted it and then typed it into his phone again and sent it.

oOo

Arthur was sitting cross-legged on his bed.

A jacket was thrown across his desk chair and his shoes were near it on the floor under the desk. He had been back in his dorm all of ten minutes, his security guards having settled into their places around and in the building for the night when he had gotten a text from Merlin. What on earth had happened after he'd left? Worry coursed through Arthur as he completely failed to focus on his laptop. His eyes glanced down to his phone and his hand reached forward, checking for a text every ten seconds in case he had missed the buzzing.

After what seemed like an eternity, his phone lit up. Arthur tore out his headphones and swooped it up, laughing to himself as he read the text.

YES. WILL YOU PAY MY CAB FARE?

Arthur's first reaction was to text back: yes, of course. But then he stopped, his fingers lingering over the keyboard.

REALLY, EMRYS? He typed. JUST BECAUSE I'M A PRINCE, YOU EXPECT ME TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING? ;)

It was only a moment until his phone flashed again.

OF COURSE. WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? IF YOU RUN OUT OF CASH, I'M SURE YOUR UNDERWEAR WOULD BRING IN SOME.

Arthur grimaced.

WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT MY UNDERWEAR?

Merlin texted back a moment later:

PEOPLE HAVE WANTED WEIRDER THINGS FROM FAMOUS PEOPLE. SO, WHAT'S THE ANSWER, WALES? ARE YOU GONNA PAY IT OR NOT?

Arthur smirked as he read it, knowing he could not focus on anything but Merlin, he closed his laptop and walked over, putting back on the desk before sinking into his desk chair with his phone and answering Merlin.

FAIR POINT... NOT SURE WHAT MY FATHER WOULD SAY ABOUT ME SELLING MY UNDERWEAR FOR EXTRA CASH THOUGH. AND YES, OF COURSE I WILL. TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE.

Arthur leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. Inwardly he slapped himself. Was he just flirting with Merlin? Yes, he had been. Arthur hadn't had the sense to keep it friendly. Why hadn't he just said 'yes I will'? Why did he have to throw in the playful teasing? He reminded himself again that although times had changed drastically from the days when his Father had been growing up, his Father hadn't changed. Uther would never accept Arthur's relationship with another man. Uther would never let his son marry a man.

Marry? Arthur put his phone down on the desk and leaned forward, his head in his hands. Since when had he been thinking of marrying another man? Since when had he been thinking of marrying Merlin? Fuck... he was nineteen. Although it was certainly legal for him to be married without his Father's consent, he certainly didn't feel ready for such a huge life changing action.

But that wasn't the point. What was, was that somewhere deep in Arthur's subconscious, he had been thinking of the idea of marrying Merlin when the time suited him. And without his knowledge, his subconscious had become oddly fond of the idea. Arthur raked his hands through his hair and let out a huge sigh. His heart called out to Merlin more than he liked to think.

Had Merlin and Will simply fought? Or had they fought and broken up? Was Merlin okay? Had he truly loved Will? Was the break up (or fight) much of a surprise to him? But the biggest question on Arthur's mind was: what would happen now? In his head, Arthur saw a hunt with Merlin, Merlin's quick wit and intelligence impressing his Father, who in this daydream approved of Arthur's feelings for Merlin. Oh how happy he would be with Merlin! Frustrated, Arthur grasped at his hair and let out an aggravated sigh. Luckily, his phone buzzed right then, distracting the Prince from his unsettling thoughts.

K. I'M HERE. GET YOUR ROYAL ARSE OUT HERE BEFORE THE CABBIE BEATS ME UP FOR NOT PAYING HIM? :P

Arthur read Merlin's text, laughed and grabbed his jacket and wallet. Although it was pointless, before he headed downstairs he replied.

YOU? GET BEATEN UP? CAN'T IMAGINE IT. K, COMING DOWNSTAIRS NOW.

oOo

"The cabbie seemed kinda honoured to see that you were paying him." Merlin commented as him and Arthur walked up the stairs to Arthur's room.

The cabbie in question had gotten all fish mouthed when he had seen the Prince and had told him that it really wasn't required that he pay him and that it had been an honour to bring Merlin to him and so forth. Arthur, not being one to take advantage of in awe fans, had insisted on paying the cabbie, leaving him with a usually large tip before allowing him to drive off into a night which would be full of drunk passengers and half digested turkey being spewed onto his cab's carpet.

"Was he?" Arthur said in that absent minded way of his, nodding to his bodyguard and pushing open the door to his floor. "I don't notice that kind of thing. People I meet tend to fall in one of four categories: they're in awe of me and agree with everything I say, they want something from my family or they want to be Queen of England."

Merlin smirked. "And where am I meant to fall?"

"You're in the forth category, the smallest one."

"Which is?"

Arthur pushed open the door to his floor and smiled back at Merlin as he did so. "People who actually want to get to know me,"

"Oh. That's good then."

Arthur laughed. "Indeed. I think we'd have some problems if you told me that you wanted to be Queen,"

Arthur's laughter couldn't help but make Merlin smile. "I'm gay, Arthur... but I'm not that gay."

Two guards were standing outside Arthur's bedroom door. Arthur paused and pulled out his key, unlocking his door. It had occurred to Merlin that they could just go back to his room, since him and Arthur lived in the same hall, but then he remembered that Percival would probably be passed out drunk with some half naked redheaded sprawled across his chest and decided that maybe going up to Arthur's single room was better than walking in on yet another one of his lovable roommate's conquests.

"You sure, Merlin?" Arthur asked, opening the door. "I think you'd suit a Drag Queen attire. Hmm. Perhaps when I'm King I'll make you the official royal Drag Queen."

"Would it kill you to go for something more traditional? Royal fool perhaps?" Merlin laughed and followed Arthur into his bedroom. "What was the point of locking your door if you were just going to be gone for a few minutes and if you had two guards in front of it?"

"Security reasons," Arthur replied, grabbing a mug and shoving under the previously mentioned coffee machine. "My Father worries that in my absence; someone might be able to kill the guards and sneak in and poison my shampoo or something." Arthur turned rolled his eyes, signalling that he understood his Father's obsession with his safety.

"What sorts of security to you have?" Merlin asked, settling down in the soft armchair Arthur had by his bed.

Arthur laughed. "Why'd you wanna know? Are you planning on kidnapping me?"

"You wish," Merlin laughed but Arthur held back a grimace - all alone in the middle of nowhere with just Merlin? That didn't sound so bad. "No, I was just wondering. Like that night I found you. Where was your security then?"

"I gave them the night off," Arthur explained. "Last time my Father would ever allow it. They got kind of suspicious when I told them I had an appointment at the hospital and it all came out. I gave them the slip a couple of weeks ago... my Father threatened to have them standing in my bedroom rather than just outside and down the hall."

Merlin laughed. "He thinks that people wanna kidnap you that much?"

"Well, my personal worth is about three hundred and fifty million pounds." Arthur took the cup from the coffee machine and handed it to Merlin before starting to make his own. "It isn't a crazy idea. We have about fifty people a year try and break into the palace. Obviously it doesn't work because our security catches them before they get far... usually they stray from tours and are caught in the hallway two minutes later."

"And I assume that's also why you're on a pretty high floor?"

"Exactly... and as far away from a fire escape as possible. Chances are good that if someone decided to skim the building and break my window, my guards would see them, or they'd trip and break their necks before they got to me." Arthur laughed. "And if someone did break in? My Father's nuts enough to have me have a shotgun under the bed." He shrugged. "So far, this is the best security I've had. So looks like your kidnapping plan won't be able to go through."

Merlin took a sip of coffee and leaned back. "They wouldn't have been able to, but now that you've told me all that, surely I'll be able to figure something out."

"What, and get shot on your way off of campus?"

"Something like that."

Arthur took the coffee from the machine and went and sat down on his bed, looking at Merlin. He took a slug of coffee and winced as it burned his throat. Clearing his throat, he put the coffee down on his bedside table and returned his gaze to Merlin.

"So, what happened?"

Merlin sighed and shook his head. "He called me a man whore. I called him a pussy. He claimed that I was in love with you. I told him that he's jealous of anything with a dick. We broke up."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Wow. That's it?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, what'd you expect? He's an over controlling wanker."

Arthur couldn't help but crack a smile at Merlin's joke. "Wanker? That's an awfully British word, Merlin. Do you know what it means?"

Merlin looked somewhat insulted. "Of course I know what it means."

"Do enlighten me."

"In two words?"

"If you can manage that,"

"Mmm," Merlin tilted his head thoughtfully. "Prince Arthur,"

oOo

Arthur was surprised that Merlin didn't seem all that bothered about his big break up with Will but did not press the man to talk about it. As a Prince, Arthur knew all too well how annoying it was when people were trying to get you to talk about something you simply didn't want to mention. Of course, in his situation it had been the media shouting questions at him as he walked to his car, not a trusted friend asking about it. Regardless, Arthur felt that the principle was still the same: Merlin called the shots on when they talked about Will.

They set up Arthur's laptop on the bed and watched Love Actually, which Arthur claimed was the 'ultimate break up feel good film'. Merlin originally made fun of Arthur for liking such a slaphappy film, but eventually owned up to watching it so many times in his youth that his Mother had banned him from watching it while she was home. Arthur had a strikingly similar story, one regarding his nanny and her actual hate of Love Actually.

"State-side, I'm like... Prince Arthur!" Colin paused, "But without the weird family."

"Hey!" Arthur said. "My family isn't weird!"

Merlin laughed. "Would I get hit if I commented?"

Arthur sat back and shrugged. "Probably,"

Merlin smirked and didn't reply, crossing his arms over his chest, returning his gaze back to the screen. After a moment, his eyes widened and he swore. "Shit!"

Arthur looked up at Merlin, startled by his sudden outburst. "What's wrong?"

"I haven't got any Christmas plans now," Merlin sighed. "It was planned that we'd go to Will's for Christmas with his family. Fuck my life - I guess I'll be back in Capon Bridge again for Christmas. Won't that be fun?"

Arthur pursed his lips in thought; he knew how much Merlin hated his hometown. Merlin watched as a smile worked its way across Arthur's face. Getting up, Arthur rummaged through his belongings before coming upon his iPhone. Merlin watched utterly perplexed as Arthur started typing into it, his fingers moving so fast that they were little more than a blur to Merlin's astonished gaze.

After ten minutes or so, Arthur put his phone down and smiled. "There, it's decided."

"What is?"

Arthur looked up in surprise. "Why isn't it obvious? I'm arranging for you to come to England for Christmas."

oOo

Hunith couldn't keep the astonishment out of her voice. "Clarence House? Prince Arthur? Christmas?"

Merlin smiled and rested his phone between his ear and shoulder as he folded the laundry on top of the drying machine. "Arthur invited us. Since the thing with Will is off, since it'd be plain awkward being at your ex's for Christmas... Arthur decided to save me the horror of returning to Capon Bridge and have us come to England for Christmas."

"But isn't there a total royal schedule?"

"Yup," Merlin paused and lifted up the laundry basket onto the washing machine. "We won't be able to see Arthur for Christmas Eve, Christmas and the day after - Boxing Day, they call it over there apparently - but he's willing to take us on a tour of the city and let us stay in Clarence House for Christmas... he's invited Uncle Gaius along too."

"Has he? Oh God, what did Gaius say?"

"He was actually pretty cool with the idea. He's used to meeting people like King Uther."

"I'm sure he's not used to meeting royalty."

"He liked Arthur."

"Everyone likes Arthur." Merlin countered, leaning against a wall, intending to finish the conversation in the empty laundry room rather than in his bedroom in front of Percival. The guy was upstairs having a 90210 marathon with the latest girl he'd brought back to the room and as gay as he was, Merlin would much rather shoot himself then sit through ten hours of 90210.

Hunith laughed. "I suppose that we're meant too. So we're the ones invited back to meet the family, is there something you're not telling me?"

Merlin laughed and shook his head before remembering that Hunith couldn't actually see him.

"I doubt it. Besides, it's only been three weeks since I broke up with Will. If you ask me, the bare minimum I have to wait is at least six weeks between hook-ups. So even if Arthur was gay, I wouldn't give in to his demands yet,"

Hunith chuckled. "Well, Merlin... best friend of the Future King of England... never imagined this a year ago, did you?"

"I love how life does that. Things you never imagine happening... and once they do, you can't imagine life any other way."

It was only after Merlin said it that he realized how utterly romantic that sounded. But Merlin couldn't help it. Arthur had that effect on him. At seven in the morning, after a night of literally no sleep, Arthur could have Merlin laughing and smiling utterly deliriously with very little trouble at all. Something about Arthur just filled Merlin with utter joy. Something about him was so perfect. Merlin knew he had flaws, like any human did. But somehow those flaws all wove together to make Arthur so utterly perfect it sometimes left Merlin breathless, wondering how such an utterly perfect person could want anything to do with him. After all, Merlin wasn't anything special. He was just, well, Merlin.

If Hunith had thought anything was off about what Merlin had said, she didn't show it, not missing a beat, she said,

"Well, I'm spending my Christmas in a royal residence. How glamorous is that? Oh your Father would be so pleased. Maybe I'll get to set you up with that gay Duke after all..."