Disclaimer: I own nothing

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A/N I have no idea what Gwen's last name is. I googled forever and couldn't find it, so I've used a name from on other Arthurian Legends. In some stories this was Eylan's last names. There are a few different versions though, so it may not be totally totally correct.

ooo

Gwen skimmed the visitor's book, trying not to feel any reaction as she noted Arthur's missing name. It had been three days since she'd helped in in the staffroom and she hadn't seen him since. Not that it mattered that she hadn't seen him, she reminded herself. Gwen reminded herself that her concern was only that he hadn't come to see Morgana. She blew her lips and slammed the book shut. Hiking up her hand bag further up her shoulder, she quickly made her way through the double doors and out onto the street.

Lance's car sat waiting for her and she exhaled softly. They had hardly spoken over the last few days. Lance had been so wrapped up in organising his life for the start of the next semester that she had drifted to the background. Not that she minded, Gwen had to admit to herself. With Lance busy with his own life he didn't notice the extended hours she was spending at work. Finances seemed to be more strained then usual and Gwen wasn't in any sought of mood to have to explain this to a sometimes needy Lance.

He smiled as she opened the door and slid inside.

"Hello, how was work?"

She smiled in return and just shrugged her shoulders in response. How could she explain to her loving boyfriend that Arthur never showing up was starting make her feel a little melancholy? He'd never understand because she couldn't really explain it herself. He'd have every right to be angry and Gwen wouldn't have blamed him if he did.

"You seem cheerful"

She noted as she turned the radio do a couple of notches

"I am cheerful, I'm ecstatic! I got my acceptance today!"

Her eyes widened

"What? So quickly? It was only submitted a few weeks ago"

He shrugged, slowly down as the approached a red light

"It's for this coming semester. They needed to be quick. The only thing is…it's not quite exactly what we were hoping for"

"It's not for teaching?"

She probed, confused as to where he was going with this

"No it is…it's just not in London"

Gwen heart dropped to her stomach and she closed her eyes

"Where is it then?"

She was surprised at how even her voice was, considering she felt fire through the rest of her body

"Scotland"

They remained silent the rest of the drive home.

Ooo

Arthur had to give Leon credit. Throughout the whole of his speech, he never once waver eye contact from Arthur. He guessed it was the military training and just strong character that gave Leon this confidence. He had so much respect for the blonde man, yet despite all this as they stood in Arthur's office all he wanted to do was wring the man's neck.

"It's nothing personal. I don't want you to think that this is a reflection of you as a leader or a man. It's just I've got a family now and other people to think about"

Arthur nodded, knowing everything Leon was saying was true

"Leon, without you there is no point even campaigning. You are the strength behind all this and you know it"

Leon bowed his head for the first time and final let his eyes drop to the floor"

"That's kind of you to say, but as your friend I have to be honest. I was only driving this ship because you let me…maybe if…"

Leon trailed off and his eyes met Arthur's once more. Arthur didn't need him to finish the sentence; he already knew what he had been meaning to say. If Arthur had been more present, things might have been different. They might have had more of chance of being a success

"If I withdraw I'll never get another chance. I'll be a joke"

Leon exhaled and tilted his head

"Are you sure you want another chance? Is this life really one you wanted?"

Arthur shrugged

"I need to work and I need to stay in the city for Merlin and Morgana. How is going to give me an a job?"

"The army?"

Arthur sank into his chair

"All this has been such a waste of time. Everyone probably hates me"

Leon laughed

"Nobody hates you Arthur, no-one that you call a friend anyway. We all had fun playing Politics for a while, but it's time we all went back to our real lives"

ooo

Her fight with Lance was straight and to the point. Either he was to get a proper job in the city or it's over. She wasn't going to play the games and run around after him anymore. She couldn't believe after all these years of being together; he was packed in an hour and promptly shut the door behind him. It was all a little to anticlimactic for Gwen to take. She was never one to thrive on drama, but she had expected a little more than a few sad smiles.

Gwen found herself pressing her brother's intercom, begging for a response with a bottle of wine in a brown paper bag clasped around her hand. After her fifth try she accepted that Elyan wasn't home and sat down on the front steps; placing her bag beside her and the bottle between her feet. She placed her head in her hands feeling utterly defeated when a familiar voice greeted her.

"What is it with off duty nurses getting drunk and sitting in gutters?"

Arthur Pendragon stood on the foot path in front of her. He was wearing a suit that she'd only ever seen him wearing in the newspapers. His tie was loose and the top button was undone, but he still looked highly professional.

"Did you just come from work?"

She asked pointedly, her tone not lost on Arthur.

"I was just going to ask you the same question"

He responded, gesturing to her grey skirt.

"I finished about an hour ago, I wanted to see my brother"

He glanced at his watch

"Little early isn't it? Thought afternoon shift finished at ten?"

"I've been doing short shifts for a bit of extra money. They are two to eight"

The small talk was starting to grate on Gwen's nerves. She wasn't in any kind of mood to be talking about things that didn't matter. She wanted her brother and somewhere to stay that wasn't her empty apartment. She stood up, the fast action wobbling the wine bottle a little bit. Gwen caught it before it splattered down the steps. She looked up to find Arthur smiling again

"Nice reflexes and it reminds me about my first question. Why are you sitting out here alone and drunk?"

Gwen rolled her eyes, making Arthur chuckle

"I'm not drunk, the bottle is still sealed. I'm waiting for my brother"

"Does he know you were coming to see him?"

"If he did, wouldn't you think he'd be here for me?"

Arthur frowned; it seemed any sought of progress they had made three days ago in the staffroom had quickly melted away. Gwen softened at his expression, knowing she was being harsher than she had to be

"Sorry, I'm having a shit of a day…."

She trailed off and studied her hands feeling awkward

"Ok well instead of swearing like a sailor, how about you come inside to mine and wait? You can ring him and see how long he is going to be and then go down and meet him when he comes home"

Gwen looked at her watch and then at Arthur. It didn't seem like bad of an idea.

ooo

"You haven't been and visited your sister in a few days I noticed"

Arthur placed her wine in the fridge and firmly shut the door. He turned around to find her crossed legged on his couch. The truth was with everything going on at work he was in no shape to deal with his sister.

"Are you surprised?"

She shrugged and she scooted over, allowing him to take a place beside her.

"I don't know. You were a bit over the place when I last saw you"

He sat down, resting his head on the wall behind him.

"I'm still in a bit of a mess. I've just had another shit day"

She feigned fear

"Have you already trashed a room? Or where you waiting to get home"

He laughed, feeling more at ease then he had for awhile

"Let's not talk about the crappy stuff tonight. Do you realise we have only ever had serious conversations? I don't even know your full name"

She laughed, realising that he was right

"It's Guenieve Blanc"

He smiled, surprised. He hadn't realised Gwen wasn't her proper name.

"It's kinda a mouthful"

She added, slightly embarrassed but Arthur shook his head

"No, I like it. It's kinda pretty"

"Only kinda?"

She joked and he chuckled

"No it's very pretty. Beautiful in fact…like you"

He added boldly at the end. Gwen didn't argue with his words or call him out on being inappropriate. The intent in her eyes suddenly made his nervous. It was almost like she was giving him permission for something that he wasn't aware of. Her faceless boyfriend floated into his mind. He was a man that Arthur had never met and only knew that his name was Lance through probing Morgana. He wondered if he would go through with it if she let him. Not that she would he thought rashly. He knew Gwen wasn't the kind of girl that would be a cheater. Still here they sat and her brown eyes seemed to be telling him that it was all ok. That if he wanted to kiss her he could.

He licked his lips.

"Would you like a glass of wine?"

His trance was broken as she stood up and made her way to the kitchen

"Aren't you my guest? Should I be offering you a drink?"

"You should be, but you haven't. So I'm guessing I better get my own"

She replied smartly.

Arthur watched her for a moment as she opened up various cupboards trying to find a wine glass. He couldn't help but note how much she looked like she belonged there. He tried to remind himself that she didn't and that she already had her own home. It didn't stop if from pretending tonight though that this was normal. That it had been a hard day at the office and he had come home to his partner ready to unwind.

She glanced over her shoulder and offered him a drink again. He shook his head and stood up, making his way towards the shelves beside the t.v. and put out a half litre of bourbon.

"I'm not really a chardonnay kinda of guy, I'll make my own"

She wasn't fazed and continued getting her own drink as he began to work beside her at the kitchen bench.

"I really should be eating something"

She noted as she returned the wine bottle back to the fridge

"Well you won't find any food in there. I think I used up the rest of the bread for toast this morning. We could order something? Are you into Chinese?"

She smiled and nodded

"I'm up for whatever"

He plucked a menu off the fridge

Ooo

Gwen slid onto his kitchen bench, her beef and black bean in hand and laughed loudly.

"You are so smug. Who even says stuff like that?"

Arthur looked up at her grinning; he was leaning against the fridge as he sat on the floor.

"I do and you know I'm right. Out of everyone in this kitchen we all know who is better looking in their work gear"

Gwen laughed again

"I should pour this dinner all over you. Try and teach you some humility"

Arthur tapped the side of his own plastic container, trying to hold his own laughter

"That wouldn't teach me anything. I'd just think that you did it in some sought of jealous rage because you knew I was right"

Gwen rolled her eyes

"You truly do have an answer for everything"

Gwen was having fun and she knew it had more to do with Arthur's company then the bottle of wine and couple of other drinks she had consumed. She wondered if she should try ringing Elyan again and see where he was. Then it suddenly struck her that she had never called him in the first place and her brother had no idea where she was or even that she was waiting for her. She watched Arthur eat his dinner as he sat on the floor, suddenly feeling really light headed about everything that was happening. Gwen wondered if she should make her excuses and leave. She had only broken up with Lance today and had barely had a minute to really think through the consequences of that. She gripped the side of the kitchen bench and Arthur looked up at her smiling

"Are you ok Guinevere?"

She smiled and laughed

"Yes I'm fine"

Ooo

"Do you think it's strange that your brother hasn't called? It's getting really late, would he be ok"

Gwen bought her drink down from her lips

"Sorry, I should probably go. I've taken up most of your night"

She made an effort to stand up from the couch and swayed slightly. She felt so embarrassed all of a sudden, as if Arthur had realised that she had never called her brother. Arthur grabbed her wrist and gently tugged her back down beside him

"That wasn't a hint to leave. It was concern for you brother"

She smiled, relieved

"I'm sure he'd be ok. He probably went to the bar after work or with his mates or something"

Arthur stared at her intently. An intensity that wasn't lost on Gwen

"I like that you don't want to leave Genevieve. I like that you want to stay"

Gwen felt heat rise to her cheeks and she bit her lip

"There is that smugness coming through again. It's almost like you think I'm staying because I like hanging out with you"

Arthur chuckled at her boldness

"I hope you want to stay because of me. That would make me very happy"

He lent in close, knowing that at any minute she was going to reject him. A part of him wanted her too because he knew it was wrong. He knew she had a boyfriend sitting at home waiting for her. He briefly realised that she hadn't mentioned him the whole evening but chastised himself for trying to find a loophole. One more inch closer and he would make her a cheater and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Gwen gave him no time to think about the consequence much further though, because before he knew it she had closed the gap herself, leaving her lips on his.