I4. Talking It Out

Pairing: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/Morgana

Trope: Handcuffed/Bound together

Summary: Sometimes it pays to be tied up in a barn.

Written for Merlin Writers' Trope Bingo

Gwen opened her eyes and tried to move. She realized that she was bound to something warm and heavy. Gwen pushed back against it and it moaned.

"Arthur? Is that you?" Gwen pushed against the back again.

"Guinevere? Where are we? What happened?" Arthur mumbled.

"I was about to ask you the same question. It looks like we've been kidnapped." Gwen looked around. "We're in some barn somewhere."

"I see that. Can you get loose?" Gwen asked.

Gwen squirmed a little. "No. The ropes are too tight."

"The last thing I remember is going to bed." Arthur said.

"That was what happened to me. But we haven't been together in months. Why are we both here?" Gwen asked. "Why bring me here if they wanted to kidnap you?"

"Maybe they wanted to kidnap you and not me." Arthur said. "Where is Lance anyway? He should be missing you about now."

"He's dead." Gwen said. "He was shot in Afghanistan last month while on patrol."

"What was he doing there?" Arthur asked. "I thought you two were together. What was he doing in Afghanistan?"

"We weren't together. He kissed me. You got angry and broke off our engagement and threw me out of the flat. He took another tour of duty and got shot." Gwen told him. "I've been living in York since you broke it off with me."

"York?" Arthur asked. "Why the hell were you in York?"

"My brother lives in York." Gwen reminded him. "Elyan wanted to kill you when he heard what happened. You're lucky I got him calmed down."

"He didn't see that kiss. If he had he would have wanted to kill Lance. I did." Arthur admitted.

"Well he's dead now so you got your wish. And now, we've been kidnapped." Gwen snapped at him. "Let's focus on getting out of here."

"I keep a knife in my boot for just this kind of thing." Arthur shifted his feet. "Damn its gone."

"I wonder who took us." Gwen looked around. "Arthur, isn't this the barn at your family's summer house?"

"What?" Arthur looked around. "Yes. That's our coat of arms on the wall over there. Who would bring us here and for what?"

Gwen started to laugh. "They brought us back to the scene of the crime."

"What crime?" Arthur asked.

"The drunken kiss with Lance happened right over there." Gwen nodded to one of the pillars. "Lance was so drunk that he could barely stand. I was nearly as intoxicated. He shoved me against that beam before I could stop him."

"What were you doing out here alone with him in the first place? The party was inside." Arthur said. "It was our wedding rehearsal supper."

"He wanted to tell me something. I don't even know why he wanted to do it here." Gwen looked around.

"He couldn't say much with his tongue in your mouth." Arthur grumbled.

"He wanted to tell me he still loved me." Gwen said. "I told him that I didn't feel the same. That was when he kissed me."

"You didn't love him?" Arthur asked.

"No Arthur. I have always loved you. I still do." Gwen told him. "I was infatuated with him once but it was never love."

"I'm sorry I was such an arse." Arthur said. "I still love you too."

Suddenly the ropes untied themselves and they were free.

Gwen and Arthur stood up and kissed each other.

"That was strange." Gwen said. "The ropes not the kiss."

"It was like magick." Arthur looked up in the hayloft. "Merlin! You and Morgana better get down here. You both have some explaining to do."

Merlin climbed down the ladder. "We thought that if you talked you might want to give it another go."

Morgana climbed down and smiled at them. "It worked too."

"You did all this so we would make up and get back together?" Gwen glared at them. "What if it hadn't worked? How long would we have stayed here until you were going to let us go?"

Morgana poked Merlin. "I told you she'd ask that."

"You would have been here for as long as it takes." Merlin answered confidently. "We knew you'd make up sooner or later."

"We did?" Morgana frowned.

"Guinevere, no harm has been done and we talked things out." Arthur put his arms around her. "Let's just let them slide this time. But if they do something like this again were posting those photos from the time we caught them in the hayloft."

Gwen nodded. "I still have those very naked photos of them."

"We're sorry." Merlin said. "Please delete those photos."

Arthur and Gwen looked at each other then back at their kidnappers and shook their heads.

Merlin sighed. "I guess we should go in and have some tea."

Morgana grabbed his hand and went with him.

When they were far enough away, Arthur looked at Gwen. "What happens when they find out that we don't have any photos?"

"Just better hope we never have to find out." Gwen said.