The large hall was buzzing, people all around chattering away, swaying and moving to the loud music, drinks and food flowing. It was a night for everyone to let loose. Arthur walked into the dimly lit building with Merlin and Mithian close beside him. He had asked Matthew if any student required a teaching assistantship position, and that he would be happy to offer them the work. Clearly Matthew thought Merlin, best for the job. Merlin was odd, and for someone he just met, Arthur felt weirdly connected to him. There was an affinity of camaraderie that he had with Merlin, despite barely even knowing him. So it wasn't a surprise when Arthur agreed to Merlin's suggestion of attending the student-faculty mixer event, he had emphasized the importance of getting to mingle with the students and other faculty members and Mithian agreed to it been a great idea. So here they were, all dolled up. Arthur's eyes kept glancing around the room, he didn't know who he was looking for, but he had an inkling. Although he would probably deny it, if asked. He knew he was looking for her.

Guinevere kept adjusting the tight short black dress wrapped around her body. It just stopped above her knees and was probably the shortest dress Gwen had ever worn. The heels the girls picked were about a few inches higher than her usual type of shoes. But the girls had said she looked great, and this was an outfit nobody would forget. She let her curls run loose and the makeup Morgan applied, she thought looked great and went with her tone. All four girls stepped into the loud building where people seemed to be having a great time. Scanning the room, they walked towards the bar and each one of them ordered drinks. Morgan, Elena and Freya opted for alcoholic beverages while Guinevere went for a coke since she had to work early the next morning. Drinks in hand, they turned towards the crowd when Freya shrieked "Lucas." Walking towards them was a young man, who looked to be in his early 20s, dressed in a dark black suit. He was quite tall, Gwen thought, hazel eyes, dark sandy brown wavy hair. To be honest, he was gorgeous. Freya ran up to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace which he returned. Morgan whispered to her "who is that?" all the longing evident in her words.

"Girls." Freya said turning back to them, the boys hand clasped tight in hers. "This is my older brother, Lucas. He goes here too, just a year above me."

"Lucas." She turned to the boy. "These are my flat mates." She continued pointing to each person as he introduced them "Elena."

"Hi." Elena said.

"Morgan." Freya continued.

"Hello." Morgan replied a coy smile mischievously playing on those thin lips.

"And finally Gwen." Freya stated.

Gwen looked up towards Lucas who was smiling down at her, and waved at him.

"Nice to meet you." She said.

"Same here. Nice to meet all of you actually, Freya never told me she was flat mates with some of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen." He retorted with a devilish grin.

"You holding out on your big brother Fre?" He turned to Freya clearly teasing her.

"She never told us about you either. Clearly trying to hide you. I can't say I blame her I mean look at you." Morgan stated suggestively.

"Oh stop it Morgan. I only just started here and just met you guys. I don't exactly have time to tell you about everyone I know." She huffed exasperated.

"So what program are you in?" The girls' confused looks at who Lucas was addressing lasted an awkward moment, when Morgan made to reply, but Lucas interrupted. "Sorry I was talking to Gwen." Surprised at hearing her name, Gwen replied "Oh...the anthropology program...I just started, just like Freya."

"That's great." he continued clearly interested in the conversation "I'm in the Ancient History program, started last year just like Freya said.

The idea of where Lucas's focus lay was evident to the girls, which made Elena and Freya giggle excessively, mischievous grins on their lips, and a rather annoyed Morgan standing beside them. Clearing her throat Freya said "I want to dance." turning to Elena and Morgan, "want to join me girls?" Gwen opened her mouth to reply when Freya chimed in, "Umm...Gwen you stay here with...Lucas...don't want him alone now. Do we?"

Guinevere's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Freya continued a pout on her lips "Please Gwen...I don't want him alone. Just keep him company and we'll be back before you know it."

Lucas chimed in "Am not so bad company you know."

"Alright fine. Go on then." She gestured them towards the dance floor.

They squealed together "Thanks Gwen...you're the best. See you soon. Ok." And they ran towards the dance floor.

"So...you liking school so far?" Lucas said breaking the silence.

"Yes...so far it's been interesting to say the least." She retorted chuckling.

"Ah...interesting...something must have happened. Go on tell me about it." He teased nudging her left side right below her breast.

She giggled "No...am not telling you anything. You want to get me in trouble Mister."

They both laughed in unison. This wasn't so bad she thought.

Arthur, Mithian and Merlin were on the dance floor and Arthur thought they all seemed to be having a good time, although he wasn't sure what type of moves Merlin was displaying, he looked absolutely ridiculous but it only endeared him towards Arthur, and he couldn't help but smile at Merlin's display.

"You guys want to get a drink?" Merlin asked halting his movements.

"Yeah I think we all need one." Arthur replied breathing shallow.

They all proceeded to move towards the bar and ordered their drinks. Arthur got a scotch on the rocks, Mithian a glass of red wine and Merlin, lemonade. Arthur took a sip of his drink and was about to say something to Merlin, when the sound of familiar laughter distracted him. He glanced around, trying to spot where the voice was coming from, and he saw her dressed in a tight black ensemble, hair loose and flowing, drink in hand. She looked so beautiful and he couldn't help but stare in awe at her or how his eyes wandered all over her body, which was not lacking in curves.

"Arthur...hey Arthur." The sound of Merlin's words broke his concentration and he replied "Yes" trying but failing to keep his eyes off her. Who was the boy she was talking to? Merlin's focus followed Arthur's eyes and he smiled, a knowing look on his face.

"Do you know her?" He asked innocence tainted in his words.

"Yes, she's a student in my class." He replied turning to look at Merlin.

He continued, a hint of jealously evident in his tone "Who's that with her? I've never seen him around."

Merlin stifled a grin and replied "Well, why don't we go find out. Shall we?" and gestured for him to move forward.

With hesitant steps, Arthur proceeded with Merlin and Mithian behind him.

"Guinevere." She stopped mid laughter and raised her head towards where her name had come from. It was Arthur with a strange dark haired, blue eyed man behind him and also a brunette, brown eyed woman whom Gwen didn't recognize either.

"Arthur. Hi, fancy running into you here. I didn't think this would be your thing. You seem like the goody goody type." She teased lightly.

He belted out a high dose of laughter and replied "You got me there Miss. But Merlin convinced me to come." "Oh..." he stopped mid-sentence pointing towards the dark haired blue eyed man, "this is Merlin", gesturing to her "Merlin, this is Guinevere."

"Nice to meet you." the dark haired man who she now knew as Merlin said.

"And, this is Mithian." Arthur continued pointing to the dark haired, brown eyed beauty. "She's a professor here...like me."

"Pleasure." Mithian quipped.

Guinevere waved to both of them. "Lovely to meet both of you. Merlin, you a student here too?"

"Yes, only just started this year." He said.

"Me too." Guinevere echoed, a grin spread across her face.

"How do you know Arthur?" She asked.

"He had a teaching assistantship position open and I took it." He replied looking rather pleased with himself. It honestly felt like how they used to be, back in Camelot. They didn't need to know that, Merlin was just happy to have his friends back.

"We'll be seeing a lot of each other then...I mean around school since you're a student too." She said with a grin.

"Yes. We will." He replied.

"So who's this?" Arthur asked gesturing towards Lucas.

"This is Lucas...Freya my flat mates brother, I came with them, they should be coming back anytime soon." She said stretching her neck to look around.

"Hi." Lucas said.

Arthur turned to him, an intense look in his eyes.

"You a student Lucas?" he asked.

"Yes, am a year above this young lady here." He said as he brushed his hands against Guinevere's shoulder. Arthur tensed up, his jaw tightened. A reaction he wasn't expecting. A nudge from Merlin relaxed his position and before he could say anything, Mithian cut in. "Lucas Butler...I know you. Didn't I teach you last year for the World studies course?"

Nodding Lucas replied "Yes...Professor Mithian...yes I remember you. Nice running into you again."

"Yes...really nice." Her words hesitant.

Arthur, Merlin and Gwen raised their eyebrows in confusion at the tone Mithians words had sounded. But before anyone could say anything, someone said "Urgh Arthur what are you doing here, don't you have like notes to write or something?"

Arthur turned to his sister and replied through gritted teeth "Nice to see you too little sister."

Gwen chuckled; not believing this coincidence, just her luck, that her flat mate was her teachers' sister.

"Wait so...you are Morgan's brother?" She questioned.

"Yes, my very annoying little sister." He replied.

"Who would have thought it? My professor and flat mate related. Bloody hell." She quipped.

"Wow language Guinevere." Arthur retorted a smirk playing on his lips.

"Sorry." She said sending a shy glance his way.

"Oy leave her alone. She can curse if she wants to. You're not her father." Morgan stated, a glare evident on her face.

"Can you leave now?" She continued folding her arms over her chest as she huffed out a breath.

"Don't be so rude Morgan. You didn't even say hello to Merlin or Mithian or introduce me to your friends." A rather condescending tone present in his speech.

"Fine." She groaned.

"Arthur meet Elena and Freya, my flat mates. You know Gwen and Lucas already."

"Now that's better. Merlin and Mithian meet Morgan, my very annoying sister." He replied.

"Alright now that we have that sorted. You can leave now; don't want my brother hanging around me."

The blank look from the rest of the party present showed they didn't know what to say and would rather not be involved in the family discussion happening.

"Fine." Arthur said raising his hands in mock surrender, "We'll leave." His gaze moved to Gwen, and he couldn't help the ghost of a smile that broke out, which she returned. A throat clearing from Merlin broke the reverie "Nice meeting you all, come on let's leave them Arthur."

He motioned to drag Arthur with him as he moved away from Guinevere and her friends. Arthur turned to wave to the group and moved with Merlin and Mithian following behind. They arrived at the far opposite end of the hall, a mere distance away from the group they had just left, when Arthur turned to Mithian.

"Mithian, why did you sound so cold towards Lucas, when you recognized who he was." Arthur asked.

She sighed, a concerned look on her features. "Arthur...I don't want you worried or anything. But just tell your sister to be careful with him...ok...he got into a lot of trouble last year. He's just not the best company."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Just trouble, with the law...mixing with the wrong people. The people who have been here know about him...just tell your sister to watch herself around him. The only reason, he's still here is because his father makes very big donations to the school."

With a look of concern, Arthur glanced to the group, his eyes focused on Guinevere. He had to warn her.

The next chapter coming up is pretty intense. Just want to say thank you for all the support so far. Your reviews, follows etc are all appreciated.